Then, seeing that Bertie had picked himself up, and was preparing to escape by scrambling through a quickset hedge into a field of uncut hay--
"Stop!" he cried. "I won't take you back. I promise you upon my honour I won't. A lad of your kidney's born to be hanged; and if it's hanging you've made up your mind to, I'm not the man to stop you."
The lad eyed him doubtfully.
"You promise you'll let me do as I please?"
"I swear it, my bantam cock. You shall do as you please, and go where you please. I can't stop mooning here all day; jump in, and let's be friends again. I'm square, upon my honour."
The lad resumed his former seat; Mary Anne was once more started.
"Next time you feel it coming on, why, tip me the wink, and I'll pull up. It's a pity that a neck like yours should be broken before the proper time; and if you were to jump out while Mary Anne was travelling like this, why, there'd be nothing left to do but to pick up the pieces."
As Bertie vouchsafed no answer, after a pause Mr. Bankes went on.
"Now, Bailey, joking aside, what is the place you're making for?"
"I'm going to London."