“I think the life will suit him. He is wasting his time here.”
“If his health improves sufficiently,” said the tutor, “there is a good deal to be said in favour of the University.”
“You think so, do you?” said his co-guardian drily. “You are an Oxford man yourself, I understand.”
“Yes; I was at — College.”
“So I heard from a friend of mine there, who remembered your name.”
Mr Armstrong twitched his glass a little and puffed away.
“Yes,” said the captain, encouraged by this slight symptom of uneasiness; “I heard a good deal about you up there, as it happened.”
“Kind of you to take so much interest in me. You ascertained, of course, that I left Oxford in debt and without a degree?”
This was check again for the captain, who had counted upon this discovery as an effective bombshell for his side.
“As regards Roger, however,” proceeded the tutor, reaching across for the captain’s ash-tray, “I would advise Balliol in preference to—”