“Glad to!” he cried. “I like company, and I’m not tired either.”
Suddenly he caught sight of Denby’s face. His look plainly said, “Refuse.”
“In just a few minutes,” Monty stammered. “I was just figuring out something when you came in. How long will it take, Steve?”
“Hardly five minutes,” Denby said.
“It’s a gold-mine you see,” Monty explained laboriously, “and first it goes up, and then it goes down.”
“I always strike an average,” Michael told him. “It’s the easiest way.”
“Is it a good investment?” Alice demanded. She had a liking for taking small flutters with gold-mines.
“You wouldn’t know one if you saw it,” her husband said, laughing.
“I learnt what I know from you,” she reminded him.
“I’d rather dance than bridge it,” Nora said impatiently, doing some rather elaborate maxixe steps very gracefully and humming a popular tune meanwhile.