Peter tossed Sir Humphrey double or quits, and won.
'After all, I am host, he explained.
'When I was your age, said Sir Humphrey to Miles, 'we used to sit up all night sometimes playing poker. Heavy money, too.
'Oh, you wicked old thing! said Miles.
Early on Monday morning the Minister of Transportation's Daimler disappeared down the drive. 'I rather think he expected to see mamma, said Peter. 'I told him what was the matter with her.
'You shouldn't have done that, said Paul.
'No, it didn't go down awfully well. He said that he didn't know what things were coming to and that even in the slums such things were not spoken about by children of my age. What a lot he ate! I did my best to make him feel at home, too, by talking about trains.
'I thought he was a very sensible old man, said Professor Silenus. 'He was the only person who didn't think it necessary to say something polite about the house. Besides, he told me about a new method of concrete construction they're trying at one of the Govermnent Superannuation Homes.
Peter and Paul went back to their cylindrical study and began another spelling‑lesson.