It was part of my duty to see he did his; so I sat down and began to turn over the pile of letters and messages which he had put on my desk; they dated back two years; this surprised me, and I said: "Rather behindhand, aren't you.

Jones ?" "Yes, sir, rather.

Fact is, I've done 'em before, but as you've never initialed 'em, I thought I ought to bring 'em to your notice." "Quite right--very neglectful of me.

I suppose they're all right ?" "Yes, sir, all right." "Then I won't trouble to go through them." "They're all there, sir, except, of course, the cable about the second loan, sir." "Except what ?" I said.
"The cable about the second loan," he repeated.
I was glad to be reminded of this, for of course I wished to remove that document before the bundle finally took its place among the archives.

Indeed, I thought I had done so.