Her voice expanded into large capitals because by a singular chance both the neighbouring orchestras stopped momentarily together, and thus gave her shout a fair field.  The effect was startling.  It startled Ellis.  He had not for an instant expected that she would consent.  Never, dog though he was, had he armed a girl out on any afternoon, to say nothing of Sunday afternoon, and Knype’s Wakes Sunday at that!  He had talked about girls at the club.  He understood the theory.  But the practice——­

The foundation of England’s greatness is that Englishmen hate to look fools.  The fear of being taken for a ninny will spur an Englishman to the most surprising deeds of courage.  Ellis said ‘Good!’ with apparent enthusiasm, and arranged to be waiting for her at half-past two at the Turk’s Head.  Then he left the saloon and struck out anew into the ocean.  He wanted to think it over.

Once, painful to relate, he had thoughts of failing to keep the appointment.  However, she was so jolly and frank.  And what a fancy she must have taken to him!  No, he would see it through.

IV

If anybody had prophesied to Ellis that he would be driving out a Wakes girl in a dogcart that Sunday afternoon he would have laughed at the prophet; but so it occurred.  He arrived at the Turk’s Head at two twenty-five.  She was there before him, dressed all in blue, except the white shoes and stockings, weighing herself on the machine in the yard.  She showed her teeth, told him she weighed nine stone one, and abruptly asked him if he could drive.  He said he could.  She clapped her hands and sprang off the machine.  Her father had bought a new mare the day before, and it was in the Turk’s Head stable, and the yardman said it wanted exercise, and there was a dogcart and harness idling about, and, in short, Ellis should drive her to Sneyd Park, which she had long desired to see.

Ellis wished to ask questions, but the moment did not seem auspicious.

In a few minutes the new mare, a high and somewhat frisky bay, with big shoulders, was in the shafts of a high, green dogcart.  When asked if he could drive, Ellis ought to have answered:  ‘That depends—­on the horse.’  Many men can tool a fifteen-year-old screw down a country lane who would hesitate to get up behind a five-year-old animal (in need of exercise) for a spin down Broad Street, Hanbridge, on Knype Wakes Sunday.  Ellis could drive; he could just drive.  His father had always steadfastly refused to keep horses, but the fathers of other dogs were more progressive, and Ellis had had opportunities.  He knew how to take the reins, and get up, and give the office; indeed, he had read a handbook on the subject.  So he rook the reins and got up, and the Wakes girl got up.

He chirruped.  The mare merely backed.

’Give ’er ‘er mouth,’ said the yardman disgustedly.

‘Oh!’ said Ellis, and slackened the reins, and the mare pawed forward.