He whistled and beckoned furiously.
"Come on, Joe!" he called. "Just down to the Wish and have a look at the sea."
But the engineer shook his head and turned slowly away down Grove Road.
"Nay, A know when A'm not wanted," he called. "Yoong lovers like to be alone."
"Sauce!" said Ruth, marching on with a little smile.
Ernie rejoined her.
"What d'you think of him?" he asked keenly.
"O, I liked him," said Ruth, cool and a trifle mischievous. "He's like a little bird—so alife like. And that tag of white beard to his chin like a billy-goat!—I did just want to pluck it!" She tittered and then recollected herself.
"I didn't mean Lord Roberts, fat-ead," retorted Ernie. "I meant Joe."
"O, that chap!" answered Ruth casually. "I didn't pay much heed to him. There's a lot o nature to him, I should reckon. Most in general there is—them black chaps, bull-built, wi curly tops to em."