“’Sdeath, this passes belief!” murmured Athos.
A tear stood in his eye, but he dashed it away, gripped his companions by the hand, and put one foot on the table. The others instantly followed his example.
“For auld lang syne!” cried Porthos, and, raising his bull-like voice, he made the electric-light fittings shake in the roof.
“So be it; Athos is right,” said Aramis.
“He is always right,” declared D’Artagnan.
“His word shall be obeyed to the last letter, by——!” swore Porthos.
“I have not spoken yet, however,” said Athos.
A roar of laughter greeted this sally, then the friends resumed their business and their meal.
“Briefly, in a little affair of this kind, expedition is the main factor,” declared Athos. “We are, of course, agreed,” he continued, “that these exhibitions must cease?”
“Agreed!” they shouted like one musketeer.