"I am," I said. "Refuse substitutes."

It gradually appeared that, in a rash moment, she had made some
silly wager that she could give a Punch and Judy show on her
own in the village of Lynn Hammer and the vicinity. Of course,
she had not meant it. She had spoken quite idly, secure in
the very impracticability of the thing. But certain
evil-disposed persons- referred to mysteriously as 'they'-had
fastened greedily upon her words, and, waving aside her
objection that she had no paraphernalia, deliberately proceeded
to provide the same, that she might have no excuse. The booth
was run up, the puppets procured. The gentle hint that she
wanted to withdraw had been let fall at the exact moment with
deadly effect, and- the wicked work was done. She had been
motored over and here set down, complete with booth, half an
hour ago. They were going to look back later, just to see how
she was getting on. The ordeal was to be over and the wager won
by six o'clock, and she might have the assistance of a native in
her whimsical venture.

"Right up to the last I believe the brutes thought I would cry
off," she said. "I very nearly did, too, when it came to it.
Only I saw Peter smiling. It is rather a hopeless position,
isn't it?"

"It was. But now that you've got your native- "

"Oh!" she said. Then: "But I've got one."