The doughnuts, now diminished to eleven, were served out as dessert, Jimmy, of course, receiving only two as his share, and were consumed with the peaches and cheese. Jimmy’s knife was rather the worse for its encounter with the can, but Dud kept his promise of opening the latter. They speared the peaches out with slivers, passing the can around the circle until nothing was left but the juice. Then they drank that. Afterwards they tossed the can into the river and threw pebbles at it until it floated slowly out of range. By that time it was fully twilight and the April evening was growing chill. So they built up the fire again and sat closer, huddling together for better protection from the little breeze that whispered through the dead grass and leafless boughs. For a while no one showed much inclination for conversation, but after a while Hugh let fall a murmured remark and presently they were talking desultorily of this and that, or, at least, Jimmy and Hugh and Nick were. Dud, as usual, had little to say, and finally Nick remarked:
“Shut up, Baker, and let someone else get a word in. I never heard such a chatterbox.”
Jimmy chuckled. “Isn’t he gabby?” he asked.
“Is he like this in the room, Jimmy?” Nick inquired.
“N-no, and that’s the funny part of it. When he and I are alone together he’s just full of words; can’t get them out fast enough. In company, though, he’s horribly otherwise. I’ve been trying to break him of it, but”—Jimmy sighed lugubriously—“nothing doing.”
“I dare say he believes in waiting until he has something to say,” offered Hugh. “Is that the idea, Baker?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Dud laughed uncertainly. “I never seem to think of things when—when I’m around with a crowd.”
“Well, you don’t call us a crowd, do you?” demanded Nick. “Come on now; loosen up; spring some of those scintillant remarks that Jimmy is always repeating. Know what he does, Baker? Well, he tells ’em around and sort of gets the credit for ’em himself. Of course, he says you said them, but there’s a sort of—of inflection in his voice that gives you the idea that he put you up to it or—or something; if you know what I mean, as Hugh would say.”
“Oh, Dud’s full of bright things,” said Jimmy carelessly. “Only the trouble is he doesn’t talk for publication.”
“And you’re his press agent, eh?” laughed Nick. “I’ve often wondered——” He stopped. Then he laughed softly and Jimmy was aware that he was regarding him mirthfully in the half darkness.