"A thrice blessed fate," he answered, "I came because—er—"
"You were a poor, lonely guy," added Spike hastily.
"Precisely, Spike! Compared to my sordid poverty Lazarus was rich, and as for the loneliness of my existence the—er—abomination of desolation was a flowery garden!"
"And how did you happen to meet Ar—"
A plate crashed to pieces on the floor, and turning, she beheld Spike very red and rueful of visage.
"'Fraid I've bent a plate, Hermy," he explained, and winking desperately at Ravenslee, he stooped to gather up the fragments.
"Oh, Arthur, and we have so few—"
"Yes, I know—but it's only the old cracked one, Hermy."
"You've broken an awful lot of things lately, boy dear," she sighed. "Never mind—get on with your supper, dear."
"Oh, I'm all right, but what about you? Gee, Hermy, you sure do talk!"