‘He’s beastly excited,’ quoth Abrane.
Fleetwood silenced him, though indeed Woodseer appeared suspiciously restive.
‘Step down and have a talk with me before you start. You’re not to go yet.’
‘I must. I’m in a hurry.’
‘What ‘s the hurry?’
‘I want to smoke and think.’
‘Takes a carriage on the top of the morning to smoke and think! Hark at that!’ Abrane sang out. ‘Oh, come along quietly, you fellow, there’s a good fellow! It concerns us all, every man Jack; we’re all bound up in your fortunes. Fellow with luck like yours can’t pretend to behave independently. Out of reason!’
‘Do you give me your word you return?’ said Fleetwood.
Woodseer replied: ‘Very well, I do; there, I give my word. Hang it! now I know what they mean by “anything for a quiet life.” Just a shake brings us down on that cane-bottomed chair!’
‘You return to-day?’