“Alive!” repeated Captain Barber. “Why shouldn’t he be? He was alive yesterday, wasn’t he?”
There was a dead silence, and then Captain Barber from beneath his shaggy eyebrows observed with delight that Gibson, tapping his forehead significantly, gave a warning glance at the others, while all four sitting in a row watched anxiously for the first signs of acute mania.
“I expect he’s gone round after you, my dear,” said the wily Barber to Miss Banks.
In the circumstances this was certainly cruel, and Gibson coughed confusedly.
“I’ll go and see,” said Miss Banks, hurriedly; “come along, mother.”
The two ladies, followed by Mr. Gibson, shook hands and withdrew hurriedly. Captain Barber, wondering how to greet Mrs. Church after he had let them out, fixed his eyes on the carpet and remained silent.
“Aren’t you well?” enquired the lady, tenderly.
“Well, ma’am?” repeated Uncle Barber, with severity.
“Ma’am?” said Mrs. Church, in tones of tender reproach; “two hours ago I was Laura. Have you been to the ‘Thorn’?”
“What ‘Thorn’?” demanded Captain Barber, who had decided to forget as much as possible, as the only safe way.