“I pray that you may not always think so.”

“Have you—have you had many friends among women?”

“Never one; unless I may count you as a friend.”

“Oh yes, you may count me—as a friend. Do you care for women?”

“I did not know it until now.”

She laughed. I was glad to have lightened her mood.

“You are odd—you are really very quaint.” She leaned out of the cab. “Where are we? I have not the least idea where you are taking me.”

“To Victoria; to try to catch the Ostend boat.”

“Ostend? Are we going there?”

“I think we’d better.”