'Come out with me, eh?'

'To-morrow? Oh, I should LOVE TO!' she cried.

Her voice expanded into large capitals because by a singular chance both
the neighbouring orchestras stopped momentarily together, and thus gave
her shout a fair field. The effect was startling. It startled Ellis. He
had not for an instant expected that she would consent. Never, dog
though he was, had he armed a girl out on any afternoon, to say nothing
of Sunday afternoon, and Knype's Wakes Sunday at that! He had talked
about girls at the club. He understood the theory. But the practice----

The foundation of England's greatness is that Englishmen hate to look
fools. The fear of being taken for a ninny will spur an Englishman to
the most surprising deeds of courage. Ellis said 'Good!' with apparent
enthusiasm, and arranged to be waiting for her at half-past two at the
Turk's Head. Then he left the saloon and struck out anew into the ocean.
He wanted to think it over.

Once, painful to relate, he had thoughts of failing to keep the
appointment. However, she was so jolly and frank. And what a fancy she
must have taken to him! No, he would see it through.



IV

If anybody had prophesied to Ellis that he would be driving out a Wakes
girl in a dogcart that Sunday afternoon he would have laughed at the
prophet; but so it occurred. He arrived at the Turk's Head at two