A flat green table-centre with a red pattern of roses, a thick table-napkin ring worked in yellow worsted, these were revealed.
"Oh!" he cried, "just what I wanted." (Father always said that on his birthday.) "Is it ?" said Mary and Helen.
"Mine's the ring," said Mary.

"It's dirty rather, but it would have got dirty, anyway, afterwards." She watched anxiously to see whether he preferred Helen's.
He watched them nervously, lest he should be expected to kiss them.

He wiped his mouth with his hand instead, and began rapidly to talk: "Jampot will know now which mine is.

She's always giving me the wrong one.

I'll have it always, and the green thing too." "It's for the middle of a table," Helen interrupted.
"Yes, I know," said Jeremy hurriedly.