"Good morning, Wheelright. You are here still?"
"Yes, sir. They took the other chap, and left no one in his place, so to speak. So me and the stationmaster have had to do everything. I was sort of superannuated, so to speak, when you was 'ere, so I had to take on my old job when Ritter went. However, I'd 'ear that he'll soon be back."
"Yes, the boys are coming home now."
"And a good job, too. Not but what me and the stationmaster have carried on, so to speak, and I'm as good a man as ever I was."
Dick remembered old Wheelright well. He did odd jobs at the station during his short stay at Wendover Park, and was known among the people in the neighbourhood as "Old So-to-speak." He was also noted as an inveterate gossip.
"Comin' down to live 'ere again, so to speak?" he queried, looking at Dick curiously.
"No," replied Dick. "Just paying a short visit. I shall be returning by the 4.20 at the latest."
Wheelright shuffled on at Dick's side. He was much tempted to ask him further questions, but seemed afraid.
"You don't know where—where Squire Riggleton is, I suppose, sir?
"Why do you ask that?"