'Have you got--' he began. 'Ah, those'll do!' He pointed to two hairy plush beehive bonnets, one magenta, the other a conscientious electric blue. 'How much, please? I'll take them both, and that bunch of peacock feathers, and that red feather thing.' It was a brilliant crimson-dyed pigeon's wing.
'Now I want some yards of muslin with a nice, fierce pattern, please.' He got it--yellow with black tulips--and returned heavily laden.
'Sorry to have kept you,' said he. 'Now we'll go to my quarters to change and beautify.'
We came to them--opposite a dun waste of parade-ground that might have been Mian Mir--and bugles as they blew and drums as they rolled set heart-strings echoing.
We hoisted the boys out and arranged them on chairs, while Wontner changed into uniform, but stopped when he saw me taking off my jacket.
'What on earth's that for?' said he.
'Because you've been wearing my evening things,' I said. 'I want to get into 'em again, if you don't mind.'
'Then you aren't a reporter?' he said.
'No,' I said, 'but that shan't part us.'
'Oh, hurry!' cried Eames in desperate convulsions. 'We can't stand this much longer. 'Tisn't fair on the young.'