After a longish absence he returned to the table with half the joint on his plate.

Susan regarded it wide-eyed.
"Uncle Jaff, are you going to eat all that ?" she asked in an audible whisper.
"Yes, and you too," he roared, "and mummy and daddy and Uncle Adrian, if I don't get enough to eat!" "And Aunt Doria ?" Again he reddened--but he turned to Doria and bowed.
"In my quality of ogre only--a _bonne bouche_," said he.
It was said very charmingly, and we laughed.

Of course Susan began the inevitable question, but Barbara hurriedly notified some dereliction with regard to gravy, and my small daughter was, so to speak, hustled out of the conversation.

Jaffery by way of apology for his Gargantuan appetite discoursed on the privations of travel in uncivilised lands.

A lump of sour butter for lunch and a sardine and a hazelnut for dinner.
We were to fancy the infinite accumulation of hunger-pangs.