John remained for a moment without speaking. He searched his mind for care-free, debonair remarks, and found it singularly short of them.

"Hugo's a splendid chap," he contrived to say at length.

"Yes—so bright!"

"Yes."

"Nice-looking fellow."

"Yes."

"A thoroughly good chap."

"Yes."

John found that he had exhausted the subject of Hugo's qualities. He relapsed into a gray silence and half thought of treading on an offensively cheerful worm which had just appeared beside his shoe and seemed to be asking for it.

Pat stifled a little yawn.