“Every bibliophile in England’ll have this book on his shelves one day, Solent,” remarked the Squire, after about half-an-hour’s work.

Wolf did not reply. For some reason he lacked the faintest flicker of an author’s pride in what they were doing.

They worked on for nearly a whole hour after this. Then Mr. Urquhart suddenly uttered these strange words.

“It would be wonderful to see one’s sponge and one’s hairbrush as they’d look just then.”

Wolf hurriedly gathered his wits together.

“You mean after you’d decided upon it?” he said.

Mr. Urquhart nodded.