"In—in m-my chair!"
"Oh, my goodness! You great baby!" she cried.
"I w-was c-coming up with s-some t-tea for you and—and th-there I s-saw another man," he jerked out, overcome by the pathos of it. "I th-threw it overboard."
"But supposing there had been sixteen men, why shouldn't I talk to them?"
"I d-don't w-want you to. I w-wanted to talk to you."
"Well!" She could find nothing else to say in her astonishment.
"Don't you see that's enough to start me drinking?" he burst out passionately. "Whenever I get hipped about anything—I—t-told you I know myself very well. I'd only h-had one drink when you came along. Did you notice me?"
"Notice you! Oh no!" she cried scornfully.
"Y-you know w-what a nervous f-fool I am; how I'm afraid of my own shadow. But when I've had only one whisky I'd tackle Satan himself! You must have noticed that I was jolly enough then! I used to be the ringleader in all the stunts at the hospital. But when I don't drink I'm afraid to face people. Do you know I haven't had a meal since I came aboard, except your piece of cake and the tea I've made? And now I've thrown my teapot overboard."
"But whyever haven't you had a meal?"