Saltash watched him with mischievous eyes.
"Well ?" he said.
Larpent leaned back again, puffing forth a thick cloud of smoke.

"Once," he said briefly.
"Only once ?" gibed Saltash.

"Man alive! Why, I've had the disease scores of times, and you are half a generation older than I am!" "I know," Larpent's eyes dwelt unblinking upon the sparkling blue of the water beyond the rail.

"You've had it so often that you take it lightly." Saltash laughed.

"You apparently took it like the plague." "I didn't die of it," said Larpent grimly.
"Perhaps the lady did!" suggested Saltash.
"No.