Then a light came into his face, and he picked up his hat.
"And I'll say this for myself," chuckled Dr Drummond.

"It was no hard matter." Finlay looked at him and smiled.

"It would not be, sir," he said lamely.
Dr Drummond cast a shrewd glance at him and dropped the tone of banter.
"Aye--I know! It's no joking matter," he said, and with a hand behind the young man's elbow, he half pushed him to the door and took out his watch.

He must always be starting somebody, something, in the right direction, the Doctor.

"It's not much after half-past nine, Finlay," he said.