“Humph!” ejaculated Mr Jabez softly; “and you want me to help you?”
“Yes, oh yes! And you will?” cried Miss Carr.
“Of course I will, my dear young lady,” said the old man; “but this requires thought. Would you excuse me if I took just one little pinch?”
“Oh, my dear Mr Rowle,” cried Miss Carr, “pray do not use ceremony here. I asked you to come to me as a friend. Pray consider that you are one.”
“Hah!” sighed Mr Jabez. “Now I can get on. Well, my dear young lady, surely we can find a way. In the first place, who is the gentleman?”
Miss Carr looked at me.
“Mr Hallett,” I said, coming to her help.
“What? Our Mr Hallett?” said Mr Jabez.
“Yes, Mr Rowle.”
“Hum! Well, I’m not surprised,” he said. “He certainly always did seem to be a gentleman, and I was very sorry that he left our place. So he is working on a great invention, eh? Well, he is just the man who would. Then, the first thing is, how is it to be done?”