It will be remembered that Joe Halliday and his friend Walcot had planned a long walk on this holiday to Whitstone Woods, some ten miles beyond Gurley.
This plan they had duly carried out, and were now making the best of their way back to Randlebury along the crowded highway, when the sudden cry of a schoolfellow’s name startled them.
“Tom Drift! Yah! Beggarly schoolboy!”
“I say, Joe, that’s one of our fellows! What’s happening?”
Joe accosted a passer-by.
“What’s going on?” he inquired.
“They’re only going to souse a young chap in the river.”
“What for?”
“I don’t know; ’cause he don’t think the same as old Shuffle, the three-card chap.”
“We must do something, Joe,” said Walcot.