He looked round when he had finished.
John stammered. It occurred to him that he was begging for the first time in his life and realised what an onerous profession it must be.
"Would you mind sparing me a penny out of that sixpence?" he asked; and to make it sound a little bit better, he added: "I've run rather short."
The man produced the sixpence immediately.
"You'd better take it all, sir," he said quickly. "You'll want it more than I shall."
John shook his head.
"Give me the penny," said he, "that you caught at the edge of the drain."
CHAPTER VI
OF KENSINGTON GARDENS
So strange a matter is this journey to the City of Beautiful Nonsense, that one cannot be blamed if, at times, one takes the wrong turning, finds oneself in the cul de sac of a digression and is compelled to retrace one's steps. It was intended with the best of good faith that the last chapter should be of Kensington Gardens. Quite honestly it began with that purpose. In Kensington Gardens, you will find Romance. What could be more open and above-board than that? Then up starts a ballad-monger out of nowhere and he has to be reckoned with before another step of the way can be taken.