l
when somebody's independent view of a matter coincides with one's own.

"That's it. Don't play the goose game. Don't give 'em time to think.
Why, if I'd given Millie's aunt time to think, where should we have
been? Not at Lyme Regis together, I'll bet."

"Ukridge," I said, "you inspire me. You would inspire a caterpillar. I
will go to the professor--I was going anyhow--but now I shall go
aggressively, and bustle him. I will surprise a father's blessing out
of him, if I have to do it with a crowbar!"

I ASK PAPA

XIX

Reviewing the matter later, I see that I made a poor choice of time
and place. But at the moment this did not strike me. It is a simple
thing, I reflected, for a man to pass another by haughtily and without
recognition, when they meet on dry land; but when the said man, being
an indifferent swimmer, is accosted in the water and out of his depth,
the feat becomes a hard one.

When, therefore, having undressed on the Cob on the following morning,
I spied in the distance, as I was about to dive, the gray head of the
professor bobbing on the face of the waters, I did not hesitate. I
plunged in and swam rapidly toward him.

His face was turned in the opposite direction when I came up with him,
and it was soon evident that he had not observed my approach. For
when, treading water easily in his immediate rear, I wished him good
morning in my most conciliatory tones, he stood not upon the order of
his sinking, but went under like so much pig iron. I waited
courteously until he rose to the surface once more, when I repeated my
remark.

He expelled the last remnant of water from his mouth with a wrathful
splutter, and cleared his eyes with the back of his hand.

"The water is delightfully warm," I said.

"Oh, it's you!" said he, and I could not cheat myself into believing
that he spoke cordially.

"You are swimming splendidly this morning," I said, feeling that an
ounce of flattery is often worth a pound of rhetoric. "If," I added,
"you will allow me to say so."

"I will not," he snapped. "I--" Here a small wave, noticing that his
mouth was open, walked in. "I wish," he resumed warmly, "as I said in
me letter, to have nothing to do with you. I consider ye've behaved in
a manner that can only be described as abominable, and I will thank ye
to leave me alone."

"But, allow me--"

"I will not allow ye, sir. I will allow ye nothing. Is it not enough
to make me the laughingstock, the butt, si