“What you told Captain Jerry this morning concerning something that you told him before, I believe.”
There was no answer to this. Miss Preston looked as if she had a mind to run out of the room, then as if she might cry, and finally as if she wanted to laugh.
“I humbly apologize,” said the electrician contritely.
“YOU apologize? For what?”
“For my stupidity in believing that Captain Jerry was to be accepted seriously.”
“You were excusable, certainly. And now I must apologize; also for taking the Captain too seriously.”
“Suppose we pair the apologies as they do the votes in the Senate. Then one will offset the other.”
“I'm afraid that isn't fair, for the blunder was all on my part.”
“Well, if we can't pair apologies, suppose we pair blunders. I don't accept your statement of guilt, mind, but since you are determined to shoulder it, we might put it on one side and on the other we'll put—”
“What?”