m, who is," here she raised her voice for the
benefit of the culprit, "a naughty--tiresome dog."

"But you can't leave me like this. When can I see you again--there is so
much I want to explain...."

"But I don't want any explanations, thank you. Come children, we _must_
go."

"Meg, listen ... surely you have some little feeling of kindness towards
me ... after all that happened...."

He put his hand on Meg's arm to detain her, and William, who had never
been known to show enmity to human creature, gave a deep growl and
bristled. A growl so ominous and threatening that Meg hastily loosed the
pram and caught him by the collar with both hands.

Tony saw that Meg was flustered and uncomfortable. "Why does he not go?"
he asked. "I thought he was a sahib, but I suppose he is the
gharri-wallah. We have thanked him--does he want backsheesh? Give him a
rupee."

"He _does_ want backsheesh," the deep, musical voice went on--"a little
pity, a little common kindness."

It was an embarrassing situation. William was straining at his collar
and growling like an incipient thunderstorm.

"We have thanked you," Tony said again with dignity. "We have no money,
or we would reward you. If you like to call at the house, Auntie Jan
always has money."

The man smiled pleasantly at Tony.

"Thank you, young man. You have told me exactly what I wanted to know.
So you are with your friends?"

"I can't hold this dog much longer," Meg gasped. "If you don't
go--you'll get bitten."

William ceased to growl, for far down the road he had heard a footstep
that he knew. He still strained at his collar, but it was in a direction
that led away from Mr. Walter Brooke. Meg let go and William swung off
down the road.

"Shall we all have a lide in loo ghalli?" little Fay asked--it seemed to
her sheer waste of time to stand arguing in the road when a good car was
waiting empty. The children called every form of conveyance a "gharri."

"We shall meet again," said this persistent man. "You can't put me off
like this."

He raised his voice, for he was angry, and its clear tones carried far
down the quiet road.

"There's Captain Middleton with William," Tony said suddenly. "Perhaps
_he_ has some money."

Meg paled and crimsoned, and with hands that trembled started to push
the pram at a great pace.

The man went back to his car, and Tony, regardless of Meg's call to him,
ran to meet William and Miles.

The back wheels of the car had sunk d