"I promised to come next month."
"I wish we could tempt you too, Mr. Neville," Mrs. Selwyn said.
"Eh?" said the old man, jerking about. "Thanks, but I've no time to be running round the country."
"Yes," said Selwyn, taking hold of the conversation again. "I think perhaps I shall be wise to have another go of marmalade and toast. There's nothing like starting a journey well supplied. A couple of months back I couldn't touch a thing. Not a thing. Now I feel another man. I——"
"Haven't you a little pity for us at this hour of the morning?" Mrs. Selwyn enquired.
A terrific frown settled on Selwyn's face.
"I was listening," said Maud. "I was very interested."
Selwyn beamed again.
"You had better get on with the toast then," said Neville, "or ye'll be waiting another week. The fellow doesn't like keeping his horses hanging about. He'll be away without you. I may be wrong. Huh, huh!"
Mrs. Selwyn scorned a buggy, and insisted upon walking to the coach. The clock pointed the final minute. Selwyn dodged to the back premises to say his most charming good-bye to Mrs. Nankervis, and with the last hand-shake slipped the smiling sovereign into her clasp. After something of a to-do he brought the dogs round to the front where the rest of the party waited, and they set out upon the journey to the coach. Mr. King had turned a deaf ear to the amours of bed and joined them upon the road; and the company made a bold line advancing across the drowsy distances of Surprise.