Leaving him in the act of lighting a cigarette, I retired upstairs to the bathroom, where with the aid of a cold swill and a hasty shave I managed to make myself a little more presentable.
I got back to the hall just in time to catch Bobby emerging through the baize door with a saucepan in his hand.
"You must excuse the liberty," he remarked, "but I couldn't find anything to boil the eggs in."
"I am afraid we are a trifle disorganized," I confessed. "The fact is we have had a lot of trouble in the family in the last twenty-four hours." I paused. "By the way," I added, "what have you done with your crew? I suppose you didn't come down here single handed?"
"I brought one chap with me," was the reply. "I left him on board down at the landing-stage. He's all right. He'll sit there on his little behind until further orders."
I took the saucepan away from him and motioned him towards a chair.
"That's your programme also, old dear," I said. "I'll finish getting the breakfast ready, and I'll talk to you at the same time. You freeze yourself into that pew and listen to me as you never listened to anyone in your life."
There must have been something in my manner which showed that I was in dead earnest, for without another word Bobby seated himself at the table.
I put the saucepan on the fire and stood up facing him.
"It pains me to confess it, Robert," I said, "but the last time you were here I'm afraid I wasn't quite straight with you."