"What's your present liabilities?"
"Oh, I owe about ten pounds."
"Sure that's all?"
"Of course, I'd tell you if it was more; it's somewhere about that."
Hancock took a five-pound note and a ten-pound note out of the note-case, looked at them both, and then put the ten-pound note back.
"I'm going to lend you five pounds," he said. "It will serve for present expenses, and I expect you to pay me it back before the end of the week." He held out the note.
"You had better keep it," said his nephew, "for there's not the remotest chance of my paying you before the end of the week."
"Take the note," said Hancock testily, "and don't keep me holding it out all day; you don't know what may happen in the course of a week. Take the note."
"Well, I'll take it if you will have it so; and I'll pay you back some time if I don't this week."
"Now good day," said Hancock. "I'm busy."