For an hour and a half after that each boy was busy over his work, and neither spoke a word.

Their thoughts may not all have been in the books before them; in fact it may safely be said they were not.

But they were thoughts that did not require words.
Only when Wyndham rose to go, and wished his friend good-night, Riddell indirectly referred to the subject of their talk.
"By the way, Wyndham, Isaacs has given up the school librarianship; I suppose you know.

How would you like to take it ?" "What has a fellow got to do ?" asked Wyndham.
"You have to issue the new books every Monday and collect the old ones every Saturday.

There are about one hundred boys subscribe, and they order the new book when they give up the old, so it's simple enough." "Takes a lot of time, doesn't it ?" said Wyndham.
"No, not very much, I believe.