“You still haven’t made it quite clear,” said Billie.

“I was thinking.”

“Oh, if you want to think!

“Tell me the facts,” said Sam.

“Well, Mr. Mortimer and my father have taken a house together in the country....”

“I knew that.”

What a memory you have!” said Billie kindly. “Well, for some reason or other they have quarrelled, and now Mr. Mortimer is doing everything he can to make father uncomfortable. Yesterday afternoon father wanted to sleep, and Mr. Mortimer started this orchestrion just to annoy him.”

“I think—I’m not quite sure—I think that’s a tort,” said Sam.

“A what?”

“Either a tort or a malfeasance.”