CHAPTER XXV 

MARCHING ORDERS 

A silence followed. To Mike, lying in bed, holding his breath, it seemed a long silence. As a matter of fact it lasted for perhaps ten seconds. Then Mr. Wain spoke. 

"You have been out, James?" 

It is curious how in the more dramatic moments of life the inane remark is the first that comes to us. 

"Yes, sir," said Wyatt. 

"I am astonished. Exceedingly astonished." 

"I got a bit of a start myself," said Wyatt. 

"I shall talk to you in my study. Follow me there." 

"Yes, sir." 

He left the room, and Wyatt suddenly began to chuckle. 

"I say, Wyatt!" said Mike, completely thrown off his balance by the events of the night. 

Wyatt continued to giggle helplessly. He flung himself down on his bed, rolling with laughter. Mike began to get alarmed. 

"It's all right," said Wyatt at last, speaking with difficulty. "But, I say, how long had he been sitting there?" 

"It seemed hours. About an hour, I suppose, really." 

"It's the funniest thing I've ever struck. Me sweating to get in quietly, and all the time him camping out on my bed!" 

"But look here, what'll happen?" 

Wyatt sat up. 

"That reminds me. Suppose I'd better go down." 

"What'll he do, do you think?" 

"Ah, now, what!" 

"But, I say, it's awful. What'll happen?" 

"That's for him to decide. Speaking at a venture, I should say----" 

"You don't think----?" 

"The boot. The swift and sudden boot. I shall be sorry to part with you, but I'm afraid it's a case of 'Au revoir, my little Hyacinth.' We shall meet at Philippi. This is my Moscow. To-morrow I shall go out into the night with one long, choking sob. Years hence a white-haired bank-clerk will tap at your door when you're a prosperous professional cricketer with your photograph in _Wisden_. That'll be me. Well, I suppose I'd better go down. We'd better all get to bed _some_ time to-night. Don't go to sleep." 
Where was Mike lying?
What was he doing?
What did this seem like?
A long or short one?
How long did it go on?
Who said something after it?
Was he surprised by something?
By what?
Where did he want to talk to Wyatt?
What did Wyatt do after he left the room?
Did he do this for a while?
Where did he plop down?
How long did Mike say the man had been sitting there?
Where were the guys to meet?
What did one of the boys say they would go out in the night with?
What kind?
Who will knock at the door?
What kind?
What did one of the guys tell the other not to do?
How was Wyatt trying to get in?
In bed
To Mike, lying in bed
Holding his breath
To Mike, lying in bed, holding his breath
Silence
A silence followed. To Mike, lying in bed, holding his breath, it seemed a long silence.
Long
To Mike, lying in bed, holding his breath, it seemed a long silence.
Perhaps ten seconds.
As a matter of fact it lasted for perhaps ten seconds.
Mr. Wain
As a matter of fact it lasted for perhaps ten seconds. Then Mr. Wain spoke. 
Yes
"You have been out, James?" 

It is curious how in the more dramatic moments of life the inane remark is the first that comes to us. 

"Yes, sir," said Wyatt. 

"I am astonished. Exceedingly astonished."
That Wyatt said he'd been out
You have been out, James?" 

It is curious how in the more dramatic moments of life the inane remark is the first that comes to us. 

"Yes, sir," said Wyatt. 
In his study
"I am astonished. Exceedingly astonished." 

"I got a bit of a start myself," said Wyatt. 

"I shall talk to you in my study. Follow me there.
Began to chuckle
"I shall talk to you in my study. Follow me there." 

"Yes, sir." 

He left the room, and Wyatt suddenly began to chuckle
Yes
He left the room, and Wyatt suddenly began to chuckle. 

"I say, Wyatt!" said Mike, completely thrown off his balance by the events of the night. 

Wyatt continued to giggle helplessly.
On his bed
Wyatt continued to giggle helplessly. He flung himself down on his bed, rolling with laughter. 
About an hour
"It's all right," said Wyatt at last, speaking with difficulty. "But, I say, how long had he been sitting there?" 

"It seemed hours. About an hour, I suppose, really." 
Philippi
"The boot. The swift and sudden boot. I shall be sorry to part with you, but I'm afraid it's a case of 'Au revoir, my little Hyacinth.' We shall meet at Philippi
A sob
To-morrow I shall go out into the night with one long, choking sob.
Long, choking
o-morrow I shall go out into the night with one long, choking sob.
Bank-clerk
Years hence a white-haired bank-clerk will tap at your door
A white-haired one
Years hence a white-haired bank-clerk 
Go to sleep.
We'd better all get to bed _some_ time to-night. Don't go to sleep."
Quietly
t's the funniest thing I've ever struck. Me sweating to get in quietly, and all the time him camping out on my bed!" 