"It's right for every man to have one ambition," he said, in the way which made me loathe him.
"What's yours?" I asked promptly.
"That Hubert shall be a gentleman, that's why I wanted him to know you, only he's so shy——"
"Good gracious!" was all I could exclaim, and it did not express my astonishment in the least.
"You'd have done very well for my job if he'd only buttoned on to you."
"He is not the kind of man to 'button on.'"
"Don't you teach your grandfather to suck eggs," he said angrily. "I like your impudence, but I'm busted if I can put up with it," but before I could answer him he was apologizing and shaking my hand most vigorously.
At that moment Hubert opened the door, and both saw and heard what was happening.
The Professor turned round quickly and forgot to drop my hand, with the result that I was pulled from my soda-water case on to the floor.
"I thought," he gasped, "it was old Ally Sloper."