Part 34 (1/2)
”Sorry,” said Stone. ”h.e.l.lo, Adair!”
”Don't mention it. Why weren't you two at fielding practice this morning?”
Robinson, who left the lead to Stone in all matters, said nothing. Stone spoke.
”We didn't turn up,” he said.
”I know you didn't. Why not?”
Stone had rehea.r.s.ed this scene in his mind, and he spoke with the coolness which comes from rehearsal.
”We decided not to.”
”Oh?”
”Yes. We came to the conclusion that we hadn't any use for early-morning fielding.”
Adair's manner became ominously calm.
”You were rather fed up, I suppose?”
”That's just the word.”
”Sorry it bored you.”
”It didn't. We didn't give it the chance to.”
Robinson laughed appreciatively.
”What's the joke, Robinson?” asked Adair.
”There's no joke,” said Robinson, with some haste. ”I was only thinking of something.”
”I'll give you something else to think about soon.”
Stone intervened.
”It's no good making a row about it, Adair. You must see that you can't do anything. Of course, you can kick us out of the team, if you like, but we don't care if you do. Jackson will get us a game any Wednesday or Sat.u.r.day for the village he plays for. So we're all right. And the school team aren't such a lot of flyers that you can afford to go chucking people out of it whenever you want to. See what I mean?”
”You and Jackson seem to have fixed it all up between you.”
”What are you going to do? Kick us out?”
”No.”
”Good. I thought you'd see it was no good making a beastly row. We'll play for the school all right. There's no earthly need for us to turn out for fielding practice before breakfast.”
”You don't think there is? You may be right. All the same, you're going to tomorrow morning.”
”What!”