"Well?" inquired Portlaw, "did you get Cardross on the wire?"
"Yes."
Malcourt stood motionless, hands in his pockets, the cigarette smoke curling up blue in the sunshine.
"I've got to go," he said.
"What for?" demanded Portlaw, then sulkily begged pardon and pouted his dissatisfaction in silence.
"When do you go, Malcourt?" asked Hamil, still wondering.
"Now." He lifted his head but looked across at Portlaw. "I've telephoned the stable, and called up Pride's Fall to flag the five-thirty express," he said.
Portlaw was growing madder and madder.
"Would you mind telling me when you expect to be back?" he inquired ill-temperedly.
"I don't know yet."