Ian Hay

“ If you endeavour to penetrate within the sanctuary of their minds, even with the kindliest of intentions, they will sometimes go so far as to lie to you to put you off the scent. If asked to explain, for instance, why he was now standing motionless beside a split rail fence gazing into vacuity and making a noise like a muted trombone, Denny might—I say he might—have explained to his mother, who always understood, that he was coaling, and that the captain had ordered the ship’s band to play. ”

“ Bagby had married comparatively late in life—so late, indeed, that memories of their own childhood had long faded from their minds, with the result that they experienced some difficulty in understanding their offspring, or, indeed, the heart of youth at all. ”

“ In reality she was something entirely different—Denny’s sister Joan.
‘Here comes old Johnny Head-in-Air, Uncle Tony,’ she announced as Denny approached. ‘I bet you he’s pretending to be something, and hasn’t seen us.’
‘Pretending to be something?’
‘Yes. He’s quite mad. He always thinks he’s a train, or a man-of-war, or an aeroplane. ”

“ Denny was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Consequently, having no brother to play with, he was accustomed to invent games which a man can play by himself. It is true he possessed two sisters, Joan and Molly ”