“Oh, nothing—nothing!”
“Come, out with it, man. What’s the matter?”
“Well, if you must know, sir, I want to know why you can’t keep quiet and get quite well, instead of coming muddling here.”
“Crampton!”
“Well, I must speak, sir. I don’t want you to be laid up again.”
“No fear.”
“But there is fear, sir. You know I can keep things going all right.”
“Yes, Crampton, and show a better balance than I did.”
“Well then, sir, why don’t you let me go on? I can manage, and I will manage if you’ll take a holiday.”
“Holiday, man? why it has been nothing but one long painful holiday lately, and this does me good. Now bring in the other book.”