She vanished, unnoticed, and glided back to the game.
Sir Patrick looked at the son of his old friend, with every appearance of being disappointed in the young man for the first time.
"Your choice of a friend rather surprises me," he said.
Arnold artlessly accepted the words as an appeal to him for information.
"I beg your pardon, Sir--there's nothing surprising in it," he returned.
"We were school-fellows at Eton, in the old times.

And I have met Geoffrey since, when he was yachting, and when I was with my ship.
Geoffrey saved my life, Sir Patrick," he added, his voice rising, and his eyes brightening with honest admiration of his friend.

"But for him, I should have been drowned in a boat-accident.

Isn't _that_ a good reason for his being a friend of mine ?" "It depends entirely on the value you set on your life," said Sir Patrick.
"The value I set on my life ?" repeated Arnold.

"I set a high value on it, of course!" "In that case, Mr.Delamayn has laid you under an obligation." "Which I can never repay!" "Which you will repay one of these days, with interest--if I know any thing of human nature," answered Sir Patrick.
He said the words with the emphasis of strong conviction.