“Put it as you like, Johnny,” I said. “You’re a dear good fellow every way.”
“Very well,” he answered; “that’s understood. Shapter will stage-manage the thing, and all we’ve got to do is to dress up and play our parts like professionals. My eye! I hope there’s a coronet among the properties. You see, it’s got to the point when, in my opinion, a reputable independent witness is not only wanted, but indispensable. You can’t run this any longer on your own responsibility—you might get into no end of scrapes; and, as to me, why, I haven’t shown any partic’lar gift for doing the detective, have I?”
“You betray a tendency, perhaps, Johnny, to jump too hastily to conclusions.”
“Ah! you may go into fits, if you like. I had my turn of ’em with Drysalter. My word he was a pepper-castor! I say, Dick——”
“Yes, Johnny?”
“You’re quite sure you and Miss Christmas are engaged?”
“Perfectly certain, Johnny.”
“You ain’t by chance thinking of anybody else, similar sort of name, are you?”
“No; there’s no mistake about it.”
“Ah!”