"I had a wild sort of wish to run off and buy you a new lace——"
"Of all the rum starts I——"
"Afterwards," John continued, "I tried to suck-up. I asked you to come and have some 'food.' Do you remember?"
"I'll bet I came, Jonathan."
"No; you didn't. You said 'No.'"
"Dash it all! I certainly said, 'No thanks.'"
"I dare say; but the 'No' hurt awfully because I did feel that it was cheek asking you."
"Jonathan, you funny old buster, I'll never say 'No' again. 'Pon my word, I won't. So I said 'No.' That's odd, because it's not easy for me to say 'No.' The governor pointed that out last hols. Somehow, I can't say 'No,' particularly if there's any excitement in saying 'Yes.' And my beastly 'No' hurt, did it? Well, I'm very, very sorry."
He held out his hand, which John took. Then, for a moment, there was a pause before Desmond continued awkwardly—
"You know, Jonathan, that the Demon is my pal. You like him better than you did, don't you?"