The duke blinked at him without any visible sign of emotion.
"Wotjer gettin' at?" he inquired imperturbably.
"Well, the fact is," explained Tommy, "I've got a little wager with the distinguished-looking gentleman in the arm-chair. I've bet him that I could land the best swimmer in the world with a salmon rod inside of half an hour."
"'Ave yer, guv'nor?" observed the duke. "Then ye can take it from me yer on a loser."
I gave a gentle laugh, which obviously nettled Tommy.
"Perhaps you think you could get away?" he said.
The duke finished his whisky with some deliberation, and set down the empty glass on the floor.
"Think!" he repeated. "I'm blinking well sure as no blinking salmon rod would 'old me 'arf a blinking minit." ("Blinking" was not the precise word that he used, but it will serve.)
Tommy turned to me with a grin.
"D'you feel like taking it on?" he asked.