“Look here, I’m very much put out about you, Frayne—I am, indeed!”—puff.

“What about, sir?”

“Oh, you know”—puff. “Of course, I never object to my pupils having their own hobbies; but you have been carrying your musical”—puff—“whims to excess”—puff.

Richard coloured.

“I do not see why a soldier”—puff—“should not be a good musician, though the trumpet”—puff—“seems more in the way than the piano”—puff. “But you ought not to have gone in debt over such a matter”—puff.

“In debt, sir?”

“Yes. Don’t repeat my words!”—puff. “Now, I have warned you against it!”—puff.

“You did, sir; but I don’t understand your allusions,” said Richard, though he suspected that he did.

“Then you ought to, sir!”—puff. “Hasn’t that money-lending tailor”—puff—“just come from dunning you?”

“Yes, sir; but—”