“No, sir. Do you know where he’s staying?”
“He told me, but I’ve forgotten. I’m afraid I lost interest when I found he was not a golfer. Somewhere in the village, of course.”
“I thought of looking him up this evening, but if I don’t know where he’s living I suppose I can’t do it.”
“He’s probably taking his meals at the hotel. I fancy you’d get a word of him there, Harven.”
“Yes, sir, but there’s no hurry. I’ll see him in the morning. Are there many of the team back, do you know?”
“I don’t. You’re the first chap I’ve seen. No one’s come yet, except Mr. Wallace and me, so far as I know. Doctor Gurley’s back, of course. I took dinner with him last evening. Vacation appears to have toned him up remarkably. So it has you, my boy. Have a pleasant summer?”
“Dandy, sir! You’re looking awfully fit, too.”
“I suppose so. Yes, I’m feeling fairly rugged, thanks, but—but not at all ambitious! I purposely came back a few days ahead to do some work. I’ve got a new course to map out, for one thing. But all I’ve done so far is clean five golf clubs!” And Mr. Moffit looked with humorous sadness at the bag beside him.
Stuart laughed. “Don’t you worry, sir. You’ll soon be in form again and making things hard for us as usual.”
Mr. Moffit smiled and shook his head. “I trust that you are right, but to-day there’s no iron in my make-up. I’m absolutely out of character and the sorriest theme ever handed in by a junior couldn’t move me to wrath! Well, you’ve come back to a pretty stiff task, my boy, haven’t you? Do you know, I’m not certain that I wouldn’t rather have my own job than yours. If I make mistakes I can remedy them or I can gloss them over, but if you make them they’ll stand out on the football season like so many sore thumbs, and you won’t have time to remedy them. A bit awed by the responsibility, are you?”