“Why, I’ve always been thin.”
“You leave me to judge best what you have always been, sir. I know. Come, you’ll own that you’re well as ever now?”
“Certainly.”
“Be satisfied, then. Well, as I was saying, my dear boys, I’ll be quite open with you all. I’ve been wonderfully successful with all my cases—have I not?”
“Wonderfully,” came in a chorus.
“And frightfully modest,” whispered Drummond.
“Eh! what is that, Mr Drummond?” cried the Doctor. “I heard what you said. Don’t you offend me, for you may come under my care some day. Now, then, all of you—wonderfully successful. Yes, Mr Drummond, and modest too, as you’ll own if you’ll let me finish my remarks before you stick yourself up as a judge. For I’m going to let the cat out of the bag.”
“Let’s have her, Doctor,” cried the younger men merrily.
“Here she is, then,” said the Doctor. “My colleague. She has done ten times as much for the wounded as I have.”
“He means Mrs Gee,” said Bracy quietly. “Well, she is a splendid nurse.”