humour.

He took the extended fingers and received a wiry handclasp that caused
him faint surprise. But then, he reflected as he went away, he had always
known Saltash to be a queer devil, oddly balanced, curiously impulsive,
strangely irresponsible, possessing through all a charm which seldom
failed to hold its own. He realized by instinct that Saltash was
wrestling with himself that night, but, though he knew him better than
did many, he would not have staked anything on the result. There were two
selves in Saltash and, in Larpent's opinion, one was as strong as the
other.

It was nearly an hour later that Saltash, prowling to and fro in the
starlight, became suddenly aware of a figure, small and slight, with
gleaming brass buttons, standing behind his vacant chair. He turned
sharply to look at it, some inexplicable emotion twitching his dark face.
Then abruptly he moved towards it, stood for a second as one in doubt,
then turned and sat down in silence.

But as he settled himself he stretched forth an arm with a snap of the
fingers, and in a flash Toby was kneeling by his side. The arm closed
around him like a spring, and Toby uttered a low, tense sob and hid his
face.

Thereafter for a while there was no sound beside the throb of engines and
wash of water. Saltash sat absolutely motionless with eyes half-closed.
Save for the vitality of his hold, he might have been on the verge of
slumber. And Toby, crouched with his head in his hands, was as a carven
image, neither stirring nor seeming to breathe.