"I've got all that, too," he said, but Sir Geoffrey put up his hand in deprecation of any comparison between the two brothers.
"You owe me a hundred pounds, Ralph," he said.
"My dear uncle," Ralph replied. "I owe you a great deal more than that. I can never repay you a fraction of what I owe you."
Sir Geoffrey's face lighted up with pleasure at the young fellow's frank expression of gratitude.
"One does not repay free gifts," he answered. "Let all that pass; but, Ralph, why couldn't you tell me you were in need of ready money?"
"I don't quite understand," said Ralph, looking puzzled.
"A few weeks ago," said Sir Geoffrey, rather testily, "you borrowed it from Melville, and I repaid him for you last night."
Ralph's face flushed with indignation.
"You paid Melville a hundred pounds for me?"
"Yes," said his uncle.