“’Ullo?”

“What the devil,” demanded Sam forcefully, “do you mean by chirruping at Miss Derrick out of trees?”

“I only said oo-oo, Sam,” pleaded Mr. Todhunter.

“You said what?”

“Oo-oo!”

“What on earth did you want to say oo-oo for?”

Much voyaging on the high seas had given Hash’s cheeks the consistency of teak, but at this point something resembling a blush played about them.

“I thought it was the girl.”

“What girl?”

“The maid. Clara, ’er name is.”