“So I saw,” said Maurice dryly.
“Yes; my own idea, you know—that is, it’s an adaptation of Louis Brennan’s mono-rail car. You saw it has four wheels tandem; it’s like a motor bicycle. You’ve heard of the gyroscope, of course?”
“I am not aware that I have.”
“Goodness! Is Sofia such a dead-alive place as that? I’ll show you how it works to-morrow.”
“Spare me! I have seen how it plays the dickens with time-honoured means of locomotion.”
“But, you know, it’s a splendid——”
“So are you, dear boy, but if you’ll allow me to say so, it was quite time I came home. As your guardian, I must really exercise a little restraint upon your exuberance. Your allowance is clearly far too big, if you are squandering it in devising means for the slaughter of your innocent fellow creatures.”
George felt somewhat resentful of his brother’s superior attitude, and held his peace for a minute or two. But his enthusiasm soon got the better of him, and he began again.
“It’s perfectly stunning, Maurice, the way she goes: isn’t it, Sheila?”
“Yes; it really is, Maurice,” said the girl eagerly. “We have had some splendid rides.”