“I? What? No such thing, sir—no such thing,” cried the old lawyer angrily.
“Well, I have seen you do so a great many times,” said Mr Preston laughing.
“And so have I, Mr Burne,” cried Lawrence, “often.”
“I deny it, gentlemen, I deny it,” he cried; and sitting up he involuntarily placed his hands just above his hips, and gave himself a hitch after the fashion of a sailor.
The professor burst into a hearty laugh; Lawrence roared; and Yussuf’s face was so comically grave that Mr Burne could not resist the infection, and laughed in turn.
“There,” he exclaimed; “I suppose, I do without knowing it, and I am so cautious, too.”
“But come,” said Mr Preston, turning to Yussuf, “you have not seen me do this, I think.”
“No, effendi, never; but when we were busy baling the water out of the boat for these dogs of Greeks to escape, your garments were wet and clung to you tightly, and the shape of the belt could be plainly seen.”
“Of course it could,” said the professor bluffly. “Why, Yussuf, I believe now in the story about the dervish who was asked if he met the camel, and told the owners all about it: the lame leg, the missing tooth, the load of rice on one side, the honey on the other, and all without seeing it.”
“Nonsense!” said Mr Burne testily, “how could he?”