"If this isn't just my luck!" said Gray, looking ruefully at the blood on his handkerchief. "Here have I been longing and praying for this sort of an opportunity, and when it comes, by Jove, I get a thundering licking and another fellow comes along and saves me and the girl both. Hang it, Charlie, I could have held on to him until she got away."
"Too bad," laughed Rivers, "I beg your pardon. I didn't think. I ought to have let you get killed or gouged for her and glory, oughtn't I? Come, cheer up, old man, you did a great deal more than I, and deserve all the favors. Let's go back and see her."
They walked back to Holworthy and the fair casus belli. The latter had paused in her flight on the arrival of the reinforcements, and with natural curiosity and anxiety had watched the fray from a distance. As her rescued rescuer and his rescuer came up, she held out her hand to Rivers, and uttered her gratitude in nervous broken sentences.
She expressed much sympathy for Gray.
SERIOUS SITUATIONS IN BURLEIGH'S ROOM.[1]
Scene:—Room of Hudson, Burleigh, and Co. (Co. being Topsy, the terrier).
Burleigh seated in easy chair, legs stretched towards fire, back to table, dog in lap, reading and smoking long pipe.
Hudson [from his bedroom]. Oh, Ned!
Burleigh. Hullo?