CHAPTER V.
Brown and MacShaughnassy came down together on the Saturday afternoon; and, as soon as they had dried themselves, and had had some tea, we settled down to work.
Jephson had written that he would not be able to be with us until late in the evening, and Brown proposed that we should occupy ourselves until his arrival with plots.
"Let each of us," said he, "sketch out a plot.

Afterwards we can compare them, and select the best." This we proceeded to do.

The plots themselves I forget, but I remember that at the subsequent judging each man selected his own, and became so indignant at the bitter criticism to which it was subjected by the other two, that he tore it up; and, for the next half-hour, we sat and smoked in silence.
When I was very young I yearned to know other people's opinion of me and all my works; now, my chief aim is to avoid hearing it.

In those days, had any one told me there was half a line about myself in a newspaper, I should have tramped London to obtain that publication.

Now, when I see a column headed with my name, I hurriedly fold up the paper and put it away from me, subduing my natural curiosity to read it by saying to myself, "Why should you?
It will only upset you for the day." In my cubhood I possessed a friend.