“Quite right.”
“Oh, one thing I had forgotten to ask you—am I to shake hands with him?”
“You mean if he offers you his hand?”
“Yes.”
“It is impossible to settle everything beforehand. One must act according as the occasion requires.”
“That's all very well for you, but I am a slow man, and am lost if I don't arrange beforehand.”
“Pretend not to see his hand, and apologise for my presence; he will then see that we mean business.”
“The waiting is the worst part.”
“Will you walk this way, sir?” said the page boy. “Mr. Stracey is not out of bed yet, but he said if you wouldn't mind, sir.”
They shrank from their enterprise instinctively, but the door was thrown open, and they saw a bath, and a sponge, and a towel, and Mr. Stracey lying on his back reading The Sporting Times. He extended a long brawny arm. The strength of the arm fixed itself on Willy's mind, and he doubted if he had not better take the proffered hand.