“We tried. It’s no good. He’s absolutely self-sufficient. What about to-morrow night?”
“We can’t leave him on Christmas Day, Jack.”
“Then we must take him to Beryl’s. I can’t stick it here. Look! He’s just going out!”
Late—299 passed the window where they stood, loping easily, a book under his arm.
“He must have seen us. We mightn’t exist!...”
2 §
Late—299, with a book under his arm, entered Kew Gardens and sat down on a bench. A nursery governess with her charges came and settled down beside him.
“Peter, Joan, and Michael,” said Late—299, “quite in the fashion, for names.”
The governess stirred uneasily; the gentleman looked funny, smiling there!