Where is it now?—­oh, yes—­it’s the police station again —­that’s John, he’s telling them about it—­he’s all out of breath—­look, that head man, the big fellow, he’s giving orders—­

  “INSPECTOR FORDYCE, TAKE YOUR
   BIGGEST CAR AND TEN MEN. 
   IF YOU OVERTAKE THEM,
   SHOOT AND SHOOT
   TO KILL.”

Hoorah!  Isn’t it great—­hurry! don’t lose a minute—­see them all buckling on revolvers—­get at it, boys, get at it!  Don’t lose a second—­

Look, look—­it’s a motor—­full speed down the street—­look at the houses fly past—­it’s the motor with the thugs—­there it goes round the corner—­it’s getting smaller, it’s getting smaller, but look, here comes another—­my! it’s just flying—­it’s full of police—­there’s John in front—­Flick!

Now it’s the first motor—­it’s going over a bridge—­it’s heading for the country—­say, isn’t that car just flying —­Flick, flick!

It’s the second motor—­it’s crossing the bridge too—­hurry, boys, make it go!—­Flick, flick!

Out in the country—­a country road—­early daylight—­see the wind in the trees!  Notice the branches waving?  Isn’t it natural?—­whiz!  Biff!  There goes the motor—­biff!  There goes the other one—­right after it—­hoorah!

The open road again—­the first motor flying along!  Hullo, what’s wrong?  It’s slackened, it stops—­hoorah! it’s broken down—­there’s Madeline inside—­there’s Edward the Roo!  Say! isn’t he pale and desperate!

Hoorah! the police! the police! all ten of them in their big car—­see them jumping out—­see them pile into the thugs!  Down with them! paste their heads off!  Shoot them!  Kill them! isn’t it great—­isn’t it educative—­that’s the Roo—­Edward—­with John at his throat!  Choke him, John!  Throttle him!  Hullo, it’s changed—­they’re in the big motor—­that’s the Roo with the handcuffs on him.

That’s Madeline—­she’s unbound and she’s talking; say, isn’t she just real pretty when she smiles?

  “YES, JOHN, I HAVE LEARNED THAT
   I WAS WRONG TO PUT MY ART
   BEFORE YOUR LOVE.  I WILL
   MARRY YOU AS SOON AS
   YOU LIKE.”

Flick, flick!

What pretty music!  Ding!  Dong!  Ding!  Dong!  Isn’t it soft and sweet!—­like wedding bells.  Oh, I see, the man in the orchestra’s doing it with a little triangle and a stick—­it’s a little church up in the country—­see all the people lined up—­oh! there’s Madeline! in a long white veil—­isn’t she just sweet!—­and John—­

Flick, flack, flick, flack.

  “BULGARIAN TROOPS ON THE
   MARCH.”

What!  Isn’t it over?  Do they all go to Bulgaria?  I don’t seem to understand.  Anyway, I guess it’s all right to go now.  Other people are going.

V. The Call of the Carburettor, or, Mr. Blinks and his Friends

“First get a motor in your own eye and then you will overlook more easily the motor in your brother’s eye.”—­Somewhere in the Bible.