"I'm quite fond of reading myself," said Hector. "You've a lot of books there. What have you?"
The book-agent pondered.
"I've got Scott, Thack'r'y, Dickens, an'—Dickens—an'—le's see; the Waverley Novels, Shakespeare, Pickwick Papers—that's a new book, just out, by—by——"
"Scott, isn't it?" Hector suggested.
"Yas, Scott—tha's right," Mr. Perkins hastily affirmed. "Oh, an' lots more."
"Good, I'd like to see one or two. Fetch down the big bag and let's have a look at it."
The agent reached a hand to the rack, laying hold of a small bag.
Hector did not let the action pass.
"The big bag, I said," he reminded the agent pleasantly.
Perkins pretended not to hear.