s made me absolutely hungry.
The bacon's cold, of course, but there's a nice bit of tongue and some
brawn, and there's some toast and brown bread and butter. Sit down and
have a bite. The coffee's cold, but I can soon get up some hot if you'd
like it."

"Oh, never mind about that," said Garthorne. "I'm getting a bit peckish
myself, and I'll have a bite with you with pleasure; but I'm afraid hot
coffee on the top of brandy and soda at this time of the morning would
produce something of a conflict in the lower regions. I think another B.
and S. would go ever so much better with it."

As he said this he helped himself and pushed the decanter back towards
Vane, saying, "and if you'll take my advice you'll do the same. It can't
hurt you, especially if you're eating."

"Still, I think I'd better eat something first," said Vane, as he set
out the breakfast things and began to carve. "The hot plates are cold,
so there will be enough for both. By Jove, that stuff has given me an
appetite!"

"Yes, I thought it would do you good," said Garthorne. "Get something
solid inside you and have another drink, and you'll be able to face your
most reverend Chancellor with as much confidence as though you were his
father-in-law. I'll mix you another if you'll allow me while you're
carving. Give me about half and half, please."

"But don't give _me_ half and half," said Vane, with a laugh that
sounded rather strangely in his own ears, and then, without looking
round, he went on carving.

Garthorne poured a much more liberal quantity of brandy into Vane's
glass than he had done into his own, and at once filled it up with
soda-water from the syphon.

"I think you'll find that about right," he said, putting it down beside
him.

"Thanks, old fellow," said Vane; "much obliged!" He put the knife and
fork down, lifted the glass and took a sip. "Yes, that's about right, I
think," he said, without even noticing the strength of the mixture. And
then, with the unnatural appetite which the unaccustomed spirit had
roused in him, he took up his knife and fork and began to eat
ravenously, taking a gulp of the brandy and soda almost between each
mouthful.

They laughed and chatted merrily over the old days as they went on
eating and drinking; and as glass succeeded glass Vane became more and
more communicative and Garthorne more and more cordial. He quickly
learnt the truth of many things which so far he had only suspected, and
at last he manage