"No, I won't tell it," said Mr. Stiles. "It wouldn't be fair to you,
Burton. I'd forgotten that when I spoke. Of course, you were young at
the time, still----"

"I done nothing that I'm ashamed of, sir," said Mr. Burton, trembling
with passion.

"I think it's very hard if I'm not to hear it," said Mrs. Dutton, with
her most fascinating air.

Mr. Stiles gave her a significant glance, and screwing up his lips nodded
in the direction of Mr. Burton.

"At any rate, you were in the chimney with me, sir," said that
unfortunate.

"Ah!" said the other, severely. "But what was I there for, my man?"

Mr. Burton could not tell him; he could only stare at him in a frenzy of
passion and dismay.

"What were you there for, Admiral Peters?" inquired Mrs. Dutton.

"I was there, ma'am," said the unspeakable Mr. Stiles, slowly--"I was
there to save the life of Burton. I never deserted my men---never.
Whatever scrapes they got into I always did my best to get them out.
News was brought to me that Burton was suffocating in the chimney of the
Sultan's favourite wife, and I----"