My companion reassured me with a wheezy laugh.
"There's something in that," said he, "although I do congratulate the insurance people on getting a man of your class to do their dirty work. And I congratulate myself," he was quick enough to add, "on having you to see me through as bad a night as I've had for a long time. You're like flowers in the depths of winter. Got a drink? That's right! I suppose you didn't happen to bring down an evening paper?"
I said I had brought one, but had unfortunately left it in the train.
"What about the Test Match?" cried my asthmatic, shooting forward in his chair.
"I can tell you that," said I. "We went in first - "
"Oh, I know all. about that," he interrupted. "I've seen the miserable score up to lunch. How many did we scrape altogether?"
"We're scr
