"Yes," I answered, and my friend in the wide trousers got up and walked by us.
"I am awfully glad it was your sister now that I have told Pratt so," Learoyd said. "He told me that he didn't think it could have been, because you didn't tell him."
"I never tell an ass like Pratt anything," I replied, "he would die if he hadn't got something to talk about."
"I am very glad she wasn't drowned."
"You are only glad she fell in," I could not help saying.
He looked rather bothered for a minute. "No, I didn't mean that, only Pratt isn't the man to tell anything which isn't true, he's such a gossip," he answered.
"I suppose every one is bound to know all about it. I shouldn't wonder if it isn't in the papers this evening," I said, as I got out of my chair.
"It is sure to be," Learoyd replied cheerfully. "Jack Ward will have to pretend not to like it."
"He won't like it," I said, and I gave Learoyd my paper to read and made my escape into the garden. I sat down as far away from every one as I could and asked a waiter to bring me some tea, and for quite five minutes I was not molested. It was very early for tea, and the waiter was talkative when he came back.
"Going down to the river this afternoon, sir?" he said, as I fumbled in my pockets for some money.