Mr. Brett, pursing his lips, began to deal the cards with great stateliness.
"And what about Meldrum?" continued Mr. Allnutt, following up his attack. "He has more character than all the rest of your House put together."
"Unfortunately," replied Mr. Brett icily, "he has no brains."
Here Mr. Brett made a serious blunder. He offended the only man in the room who might have felt inclined to protect him from the bludgeonings of Mr. Allnutt. Mr. Haydock happened to be senior mathematical master at Studley, and like all broad-minded men hated anything like intellectual snobbery.
"Meldrum," he remarked, "is the soundest mathematician in the School, and quite the most brilliant scientist we have had for ten years."
"Possibly, possibly," said Mr. Brett; "but that does not affect my point. No trumps!"
Mr. Haydock flushed red at this gratuitous piece of offensiveness. But he said nothing, and took up his cards.
"Shall I play to no trumps, partner?" enquired Mr. Allnutt.
Mr. Haydock glanced over his hand, and sighed to himself, softly and gratefully.
"I shall double no trumps," he said.