Martin compressed his lips and looked disapproval.

’I really can’t see that such extreme measures were demanded.  Come, come; what is all this about?  Do you suspect him of planning burglaries?  That was an ill-judged step, Buckland; decidedly ill-judged.  I said just now that Peak impressed me by no means disagreeably.  Now I will add that I am convinced of his good faith —­as sure of it as I am of his remarkable talents and aptitude for the profession he aims at.  In spite of your extraordinary distrust, I can’t feel a moment’s doubt of his honour.  Why, I could have told you myself that he has known Radical journalists.  He mentioned it the other day, and explained how far his sympathy went with that kind of thing.  No, no; that was hardly permissible, Buckland.’

The young man had no difficulty in bowing to his father’s reproof when the point at issue was one of gentlemanly behaviour.

‘I admit it,’ he replied.  ’I wish I had gone to Rotherhithe and made simple inquiries in my own name.  That, all things considered, I might have allowed myself; at all events, I shouldn’t have been at ease without getting that assurance.  If Peak had heard, and had said to me, “What the deuce do you mean?” I should have told him plainly, what I have strongly hinted to him already, that I don’t understand what he is doing in this galley.’

‘And have placed yourself in a position not easy to define.’

‘No doubt.’

‘All this arises, my boy,’ resumed Martin, in a tone of grave kindness, ’from your strange inability to grant that on certain matters you may be wholly misled.’

‘It does.’

’Well, well; that is forbidden ground.  But do try to be less narrow.  Are you unable then to meet Peak in a friendly way?’

’Oh, by no means!  It seems more than likely that I have wronged him.’

’Well said!  Keep your mind open.  I marvel at the dogmatism of men who are set on overthrowing dogma.  Such a position is so strangely unphilosophic that I don’t know how a fellow of your brains can hold it for a moment.  If I were not afraid of angering you,’ Martin added, in his pleasantest tone, ’I would quote the Master of Trinity.’

‘A capital epigram, but it is repeated too often.’

Mr. Warricombe shook his head, and with a laugh rose to say good-night.

‘It’s a great pity,’ he remarked next day to Sidwell, who had been saying that her brother seemed less vivacious than usual, ’that Buckland is defective on the side of humour.  For a man who claims to be philosophical he takes things with a rather obtuse seriousness.  I know nothing better than humour as a protection against the kind of mistake he is always committing.’

The application of this was not clear to Sidwell.

‘Has something happened to depress him?’ she asked.

’Not that I know of.  I spoke only of his general tendency to intemperate zeal.  That is enough to account for intervals of reaction.  And how much sounder his judgment of men would be if he could only see through a medium of humour now and then!  You know he is going over to Budleigh Salterton this afternoon?’