“I say, I like you!” he said with enthusiasm.  “You’re a regular sport!”

“Thank you,” Mordaunt returned gravely.

“And what about Chris?” Noel proceeded mischievously.  “Isn’t she allowed to tell lies, either?”

Mordaunt stiffened.  “Chris knows better.”

“Oh, does she?” Noel yelled derision.  “My dear chap, you’ll kill me!  Why, she—­she’s about the worst of us.  I never knew anyone lie quite like Chris when occasion arises.”

He broke off.  Mordaunt had shaken his arm free with an abruptness not far removed from violence.

“That’s enough,” he said sternly.  “I don’t advise you to say any more upon that subject.”

“But I assure you it’s the truth,” Noel protested.  “She can look you straight in the face and swear that black is white till you actually believe it.  I assure you she can.”

He spoke with such naive admiration of the achievement that Trevor Mordaunt, on the verge of anger, found himself checked suddenly by an irrepressible desire to laugh.

Noel saw and seized upon his advantage.  “But I daresay she wouldn’t to you.  She gets everything she wants without.  I must say you’re jolly decent to all of us.  I’m sorry I took your gun—­didn’t know it was one you particularly valued.  I’d get one of my own only I’m so beastly hard up.  I suppose you couldn’t lend me a fiver now, could you?”

He tucked his hand back into Mordaunt’s arm persuasively, and smiled his winning smile.  “I’ll pay you back—­with interest—­when I come of age.  That’ll be in five years.  I wouldn’t ask you if I couldn’t.  But I daresay Chris can let me have it if you would rather not.”

“No!” Mordaunt said very decidedly.  “There must be no borrowing from Chris. I will give you five pounds if you are wanting it, but not to buy a gun with, and only on the understanding that for the future you come to me—­and never to Chris—­if you chance to be in difficulties.”

“Oh yes, I’ll promise that,” said Noel readily.  “But I don’t want you to make me a present, old chap.  I shall pay up some day.  You shall have an I O U.”

“Many thanks!  I don’t want one.”  Mordaunt began to smile.  “Just keep straight and tell the truth,” he said.  “That’s all the return I want.”

“Really?” Noel’s smile became a grin.  “That’s awfully decent of you.  As a matter of fact, I don’t believe even Chris could manage to deceive you.  You’re so beastly shrewd.  But we’ll call it a bargain if you like.  You won’t catch me trying to jockey you after this.”

“Very well,” Mordaunt said.  “Then, on the strength of that, I want to know if you have ever had any money from Chris before.”

“Why, of course I have!” Noel seemed surprised by the question.  He spoke with the utmost frankness.

“How much?”

Mordaunt’s smile had departed.  He did not look altogether pleased, but Noel was quite unimpressed.

“Oh, goodness knows!” he said lightly.  “She has my I O U’s.”