Mr Gale, a friend of Mr Sandbach's, came briskly on to the platform from
the booking-office, caught sight of Mr Sandbach, and accosted him.
"Hello, Sandbach!"
"How do, Gale?"
To a slight extent they were rivals in the field of invention. But both
had succeeded in life, and both had the alert and prosperous air of
success. Born about the same time, they stood nearly equal after forty
years of earthly endeavour.
"What are you doing here?" asked Gale, casually.
"I've come to meet someone off the Crewe train."
"And I'm going by it--to Derby," said Mr Gale. "They say it's thirteen
minutes late."
"Look here," said Mr Sandbach, taking no notice of this remark, "you see
that man there?"
"Which one--by the bookstall?"
"Yes."
"Well, what about him?"
"I bet you you can't make him move from where he is--no physical force,
of course."
Mr Gale hesitated an instant, and then his eye glistened with response
to the challenge, and he replied:
"I bet you I can."
"Well, try," said Mr Sandbach.
Mr Sandbach and Mr Gale frequently threw down the glove to each other in
this agreeable way. Either they asked conundrums, or they set test
questions, or they suggested feats.
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