"And a lady?"
"A tender-hearted, pure-souled girl. 'Right about face!'" Which, in the old days, was a favourite cry with them when a subject was to be dismissed from their conversation.
"I borrowed some money of you once, Felix."
"You did, Charley, old boy--and paid it."
"Are you sure?"
Felix laughed, rather boisterously.
"That won't do, old boy," he said; "no beating about the bush between us two. The grog's confoundedly strong." (It must have been, for it made his eyes water.)
"Look here, Charley, I want money--badly; but I must earn it. Now, if you could help me to anything in the newspaper way—"
Charley broke in here with "I can by Jove! You can do newspaper correspondence?"
Felix nodded excitedly.