nk face was fairly alight with
happiness, the brown eyes dancing, the strong white teeth flashing
merriment. From being good-looking, he had become most handsome. If
he was to find the trick of Jill's heart, she had laid a pink finger
upon the catch of his charm.

For a moment we stood marvelling....

Then Jill saw us with the tail of her eye.

"I say," she cried, twittering, "he's going to teach me to drive. He's
coming to lunch to-morrow, and then we're going along the Morlaas road,
because that'll be quiet."

As Adele and Jonah emerged from the gateway--

"You can't have the Morlaas road to-morrow," said Berry, "because I've
got it. I'm going to practise reversing through goats. It's all
arranged. Five million of the best new-laid goats are to be in line of
troop columns two kilometres south of the 'L' of a 'ill by three
o'clock."

Jill addressed her companion.

"We'll go another way," she said. "I don't suppose he's really going
there, but, if he did.... Well, when he says he's going backwards on
purpose, we always get out of the car."

The naivete with which this unconsciously scathing criticism was
phrased and uttered trebled its poignancy.

Berry collapsed amid a roar of laughter.

Then Jonah pulled out his watch, and we began to arrange ourselves.
That Jill might return with her brother and have her mascot too, we had
to swap cars; for, as the only two mechanics, Jonah and I never
travelled together. I was sorry about it, for Pong was the apple of my
eye. Seldom, if ever, had we been parted before. Jonah, I fancy, felt
the same about Ping.

Our new friend was going straight back. We, however, were proposing to
return by Bagneres-de-Bigorre, and suggested that he should accompany
us. He shook his head gravely.

"No. I--I have to get back," he said heavily. "I must." Then he
bowed to Daphne and to us all. "You've been very kind to me.
Good-bye."

As he turned--

"Till to-morrow," I cried heartily. "You know where we live?"

"Oh, yes. You're Captain Pleydell."

"That's right. Oh, and--er--by the way, I don't think we know your
name."

For a moment the boy hesitated. Then he turned scarlet.

"N-neither do I," he said.

* * * * *

It was four o'clock by the time we reached Lannemezan, so, after a
little discussion, my wife and Berry and I determined to cut
Bagneres-de-Bigorre out of our itinerary and return to Pau by the way
by which we had c