"Hi! What's this you're up to?" he demanded, but the unknown totally ignored him.
"Can't he speak English?" asked the policeman of the coastguard officer.
"Rather," asserted the other emphatically; then in a lower tone he added, "Look here, we want to detain the man, but we cannot name a charge."
"I'll see about that," retorted the policeman. "Now, sir, your name and address, please."
"Allow me to inform you, constable, that my name is not 'Hi.' Since you addressed me as such you must not be surprised that your question was ignored."
A titter went up from the crowd, which had the effect of rousing the ire of the representative of the Law.
"Now, sir, your name and address, please."
"What for, constable?"
"For bathing off a public beach in prohibited hours."
"Don't talk rot!" exclaimed the unknown indignantly.