He was very red in his face and threatening in his demeanour, but when it came to giving his feelings utterance his courage dwindled down into a—
“Bah! sanctimonious young prig!”
The astonishment was now transferred to the onlookers.
“Hullo, Compton, I say,” said Fastnet, “did you hear what he called you? Is that all you’ve got to say?”
The Honourable Mr Compton’s face gradually bleached, as he looked from one to the other.
“He said you were no gentleman,” repeated Fastnet, determined there should be no mistake about the matter. “Isn’t that so, youngster?” appealing to Roger.
“That is what I said,” said Roger.
The lily-livered hero was hanging out his true colours at last.
“It’s lucky for him,” snarled he, “he is only a visitor in this house.”
Fastnet and one or two of the others laughed disagreeably.