"It's this way. My wife and I have had a little discussion. And I
stated my belief that there was nothing in an ordinary way that a
woman could do that a man couldn't. Whereupon she defied me to go out
and--er--buy a bloater. As you see, I have gone out, and--er--"
"Yes," I said, "you have gone out. Splendid of you! And all that
remains to be done is to buy a bloater. Why not? Yonder, if I mistake
not, is the shop of a bloaterer."
"But a bloater!" said Herbert. "It isn't fair. If she'd said some
salmon, or a lobster, or even a pound of sausages; or if she'd allowed
me to 'phone for it. It's not as if I'd ever had any practice. It's
not decent to start a beginner on a hand-bought bloater."
"Tush!" I said. "This is not manly. Remember, our sex is at stake.
Come!"