On the south side of the river he descended the stairs to the Albert Embankment and walked along by St.Thomas's Hospital.
Presently he overtook a man who was reading as he walked, a second book being held under his arm.

It was a young workman of three- or four-and-twenty, tall, of wiry frame, square-shouldered, upright.

Grail grasped his shoulder in a friendly way, asking: 'What now ?' 'Well, it's tempted eighteenpence out of my pocket,' was the other's reply, as he gave the volume to be examined.

'I've wanted a book on electricity for some time.' He spoke with a slight North of England accent.

His name was Luke Ackroyd; he had come to London as a lad, and was now a work-fellow of Grail's.