"Ricky," cried Ruth, "you coward!"
Former Wing-Commander Richard Fleet D.S.O. with bar, did not in this instance deny it
"I've told Laurier," he confided; "but he's an ass. They'll stroll away, Susan and Mother, and I'll follow. If you see me beckon, crowd in. If you see me motion to keep away, keep away. Anyway, I can't lose 'em when I follow."
"We're with you," said Martin. "But why not simply elope with the girl? That's what I'm going to do, this afternoon or tonight"
"You're… — what?" exclaimed Ruth.
"Never mind. We were talking about Ricky."
"I can't do it" said Ricky, referring to elopement He was desperately in earnest so much so that his eyes brimmed as they had brimmed a while ago, though perhaps for different reasons, when H.M. was telling stories. He scarcely noticed the road; the car had gathered speed; yet his instinctive timing never put them in danger. "This is the only way. Mother'll understand it"
"All good luck, my boy!" smiled Stannard. "But, my dear Drake. You were saying—? "Martin doesn't mean it," observed Ruth. - (Oh, don't I?)
For now, beyond tall trees at a bend in the road, there rose above a crowd murmur the predominating brass-band strains of Waltzing Matilda. In contrast to the stuff which passes for music nowadays, this noble tune must set a stuffed mummy to whistling and tapping its foot Martin Drake began whistling too. He was going away with Jenny.
Round the curve they swept into the straight The fifteen-foot-high brick wall of Brayle Manor, which they had seen stretching westwards, now ran past the road on the right All the noises of the fair were sweeping out at them now.