Those inside were too busily engaged in exchanging confidences to notice anything.
As for the jehu, he was so much taken up with his horses, avoiding obstructions for which Third Avenue is notorious, that he never dreamed of the odd passenger he had picked up, until Eric plumped down on the box beside him.
“Great Scott! where did you drop from?” he ejaculated is dismay, looking up as if he really suspected the unknown had rained down.
“Don’t worry yourself—I only climbed up over the back,” returned Eric coolly.
“Then just you climb down again in a hurry, or I’ll toss you over,” and the man, firing up after his sudden scare, looked ugly enough to carry his threat into execution.
“Some other time, old fellow—just now this place suits me as well as any, and here I stay.”
The rattle of the swiftly moving vehicle over the granite blocks would prevent any one from hearing this interesting dialogue—the parties interested were shouting in each other’s ears.
Perhaps there was something about Eric that aroused a spirit of animosity in the other; but if so there must also have been that which warned him to be exceedingly careful.
He showed signs of anger, and yet dared not raise his hand in open rebellion
“What d’ye mean stealing a ride this way?”