"I unfastened the boat, keeping my back to him and my face down, and shot off like a whirlwind, calling out that I was behind time, and must put out. I took good care, Charles, not to get back before the stars were bright in the night sky."
"Did he recognise you?"
"No—no. For certain, no. But he would have done so had I stayed to talk. And it is not always that I could escape as I did then. You must see that."
I saw it all too plainly.
"So I thought it best to make myself scarce, Charles, and leave the tourists' haunts. I sold my boat; no difficulty in that; though, of course, the two men who bought it shaved me; and came over to London as fast as a third-class train would bring me. Dare not put my nose into a first-class carriage, lest I should drop upon some one of my old chums."
"Of all places, Tom, you should not have chosen London."
"Will you tell me, old fellow, what other place I could have pitched upon?"
And I could not tell.
"Go where I will," he continued, "it seems that the Philistines are likely to find me out."
We were pacing about now, side by side, keeping in the shade as much as possible, and speaking under our breath.