There was no mistaking the heartiness of the hand grasp that caught his.
"Well, we can go up now," said Martin, cheerfully. "In fact, I've been thinking about you quite a lot. Been rather eager to see you again. But—hold on!—the office is anything but a confidential resort. Suppose you come with me to the Engineers' Club where we can have a nice quiet talk."
Jimmy, feeling as if he had at least one friend left in the world, readily accepted, and thought it rather lucky that they were the only men in the club lounge room; felt that the chairs were very comfortable, and the atmosphere summery.
"How are things with you?" asked Martin shrewdly eyeing him through the first blue smoke screen of a cigar.
"Oh, so-so," replied Jimmy, evasively.
"Everything all right?"
"In a way. In a way."
"Chocolate business flourishing?"
"It was—up to a week ago."
"But now? How about now, Gollop?"