"That will be all right, Goggin," said Mrs. Knox airily; "we're in a hurry to get home now."
The three protagonists looked at one another dubiously, and simultaneously cleared their throats.
"I beg your pardon, Mrs. Knox, ma'am," began Mr. Goggin very delicately. "Mr. M'Sweeny would be thankful to speak a word to you before you go."
"Well, let him speak and be quick about it," returned Mrs. Knox, who seemed to have recovered remarkably from her moment of emotion.
"You must excuse me, Major Yeates," said Mr. M'Sweeny, chivalrously selecting me as the person to whom to present the business end of the transaction, "but I'm afraid I must trouble you about that little matter of the five pounds that we arranged a while ago—I couldn't go back without it was settled——"
Mr. Goggin coughed, and looked at his boots; Stephen Casey sighed heavily.
At the same moment I thought I heard the horn.
"I'm afraid I haven't got it with me," I said, pulling out a handful of silver and a half-sovereign. "I suppose eighteen and sixpence wouldn't be any use to you?"
Mr. M'Sweeny smiled deprecatingly, as at a passing jest, and again I heard the horn, several harsh and prolonged notes.
Mrs. Knox leaned forward and poked me in the back with some violence.