Smart was looking rather puzzled. "Tell me, old fellow," he said to a friend, "have you ever heard of such a thing as cold embers?"
The friend shook his head vigorously.
"Never," he replied. "There can't be such a thing."
Smart smiled slyly.
"Oh, yes, there is," he answered. "Nov-ember and Dec-ember. They are cold enough, aren't they?"

old fellow - старина, друзяка
embers - гарячий пепел; жаринки