Polly Sparkes was making fun of him, and the laugh should yet be on his side.

Greenacre, with his mysterious connexions, might be of use, but must not be allowed to run away with the credit of the discovery.

As for these stories about Lord Polperro, it might turn out that Clover was illegitimately related to the noble family--no subject for boasting, though possibly an explanation of his strange life.

If Polly were really in communication with him--"Ho, ho! Very good! Ha, ha!" "What now ?" asked Greenacre.
"Nothing! Queer fancy I had." After dinner they smoked together for an hour, the host talking incessantly, and for the most part in a vein of reminiscence.

To hear him one would have supposed that he had always lived in the society of distinguished people; never a word referring to poverty or mean employment fell from his lips.
"Poor Bolsover!" he remarked.