nutes he was more
than hot. He did not give in, however, but dug on till the task was
accomplished. Then he threw down the spade, wiped his forehead and
stretched himself. Brown watched him curiously.

"Had enough, sir?"

"For the present, yes," said Tony. "One mustn't suck pleasure to the
dregs. But I'll admit it's not a bad sort of notion on the whole, this
work. In small doses it might even be admirable--a kind of _aperitif_,
you know. But, regarded as a habit ... that would need further
consideration. Where can I find a tap?"

"Behind that fence, sir...."

Tony went to cleanse his hands, leaving the odd-job man chuckling. "Rum
customer," he murmured: "a very rum customer, indeed. Oh, very rum!
Everything's rum, when you come to think of it--more than rum.... Things
seem to get rummer every day...."

Tony thought the same as he stood drying his hands upon the grass and a
handkerchief behind the fence. The tap was screened from the lawn by the
aforesaid fence, from the road by the privet-hedge. And as he dried and
mused, steps, the light tapping of small feet, could be heard
approaching on the other side of the hedge. From a subconscious
strategy--caused by a deep-set mysterious instinct--he waited till the
steps had gone past. Then he peeped through the hedge and nearly
whooped. For, retreating, he observed the neat figure of his damsel of
the visiting-card. Joy was excusable, for he had not seen her again
since their encounter.

His first impulse was to whistle. This he checked on the score of
vulgarity and bethought him what course would be best. Should he break
through a weak spot in the hedge, leaving comrade Bangs to his own
devices, or should he make formal but hasty adieux and pursue in the
hope of overtaking? The latter was clearly the more correct procedure,
but Tony's heart yearned regretfully over the girl in the road. She
looked such a perfect pet! Luckily he was not called on to make an
immediate decision, for she stopped a few yards farther on and gazed
around. Tony concealed himself in such a way that he might still keep an
eye upon her. What was she waiting for? He was not left long in doubt,
for she gave a low but melodious whistle. The whistle was answered in
the same key. "Brown, by all that's wonderful!" muttered Tony. "The
lucky dog! No wonder he doesn't find work dull."

If he expected a love-passage he was disappointed. The girl, as soon as
her whistle was returned, flung a piece of pa