“How about it, laddie?” I said, being all for getting the order booked and going on to the serious knife-and-fork work.

“Eh?” said young Bingo absently.

I recited the programme once more.

“Oh, yes, fine!” said Bingo. “Anything, anything.” The girl pushed off, and he turned to me with protruding eyes. “I thought you said they weren’t pretty, Bertie!” he said reproachfully.

“Oh, my heavens!” I said. “You surely haven’t fallen in love again⁠—and with a girl you’ve only just seen?”

“There are times, Bertie,” said young Bingo, “when a look is enough⁠—when, passing through a crowd, we meet somebody’s eye and something seems to whisper.⁠ ⁠…”

At this point the plovers’ eggs arrived, and he suspended his remarks in order to swoop on them with some vigour.