“I suppose this is the best we can hope for, Captain Graham,” said Miss Raynard placidly.  “Perhaps now you’ll give us your views.  Captain Donovan never gets beyond the drinks, but I agree with Mr. Pennell we want something substantial.”

“I’m blest if I don’t think you all confoundedly ungrateful,” said Donovan.  “I worked that fine champagne for you beautifully.  Anyone would think you could walk in and order it any day.  If we get it at all, it’ll be due to me and my blarney.  Not but what it does deserve a good introduction,” he added.  “I don’t suppose there’s another bottle in the town.”

Tommy sighed.  “He’s off again, or he will be,” she said.  “Do be quick, Captain Graham.”

“Well,” said Peter.  “I suggest, first, that you leave the ordering of the room to me, and the decorations.  I’ve most time, and I’d like to choose the flowers.  And the smokes and crackers.  And I’ll worry round and get some menu-cards, and have ’em printed in style.  And, if you like, I’ll interview the chef and see what he can give us.  It’s not much use our discussing details without him.”

“‘A Daniel come to judgment,’” said Pennell.  “Padre, I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“A Solomon,” said Julie mischievously.

“A Peter Graham,” said Miss Raynard.  “I always knew he had more sense in his little finger than all the rest of you in your heads.”

Donovan sighed from the depths of the chair.  “Graham,” he said, “for Heaven’s sake remember those...”

Julie clapped her hand over his mouth.  He kissed it.  She withdrew it with a scream.

“...Drinks,” finished Donovan.  “The chef must suggest accordin’.”

“Well,” said Pennell, “I reckon that’s settled satisfactorily.  I’ll get out my invitation.  In fact, I think, if I may be excused, I’ll go and do it now.”  He got up and reached for his cap.

They all laughed.  “We’ll see to it that there’s mistletoe,” cried Julie.

“Ah, thanks!” said Pennell; “that will be jolly, though some people I know seem to get on well enough without it.  So long.  See you later, padre.”

He avoided Julie’s flung cushion and stepped through the door.  Miss Raynard got up.  “We ought to get a move on too, my dear,” she said to Julie.

“Oh, not yet,” protested Donovan.  “Let’s have some bridge.  There are just four of us.”

“You can never have played bridge with Julie, Captain Donovan,” said Miss Raynard.  “She usually flings the cards at you half way through the rubber.  And she never counts.  The other night she played a diamond instead of a heart, when hearts were trumps, and she had the last and all the rest of the tricks in her hand.”

“Ah, well,” said Donovan, “women are like that.  They often mistake diamonds for hearts.”

“Jack,” said Julie, “you’re really clever.  How do you do it?  I had no idea.  Does it hurt?  But don’t do it again; you might break something.  Peter, you’ve been praised this evening, but you’d never think of that.”