''Aveyergotwhale-bones?'saidTom,withaffectedsimplicity,puttinghisarmroundherwaisttofeel.
'Na,then,'shesaid,'keepoffthegrass!'
'Well,Ionlywantedterknowifyou'dgotany.'
'Garnyerdon'tgitroundmelikethet.'
Hestillkeptashewas.
'Nathen,'sherepeated,'tikeyer'andaway.Ifyertouchmethereyou'll'avetermarryme.'
'Thet'sjustwotIwantsterdo,Liza!'
'Shutit!'sheansweredcruelly,anddrewhisarmawayfromherwaist.
Thehorsesscamperedon,andthemanbehindblewhishornwithvigour.
'Don'tbustyerself,guv'nor!'saidoneofthepassengerstohimwhenhemadeaparticularlydiscordantsound.Theydrovealongeastwards,andasthehourgrewlaterthestreetsbecamemorefilledandthetrafficgreater.AtlasttheygotontheroadtoChingford,andcaughtupnumbersofothervehiclesgoinginthesamedirection—donkey-shays,pony-carts,tradesmen'scarts,dog-carts,drags,brakes,everyconceivablekindofwheelthing,allfilledwithpeople,thewretcheddonkeydraggingalongfoursolidrate-payerstothepairofstouthorseseasilymanagingacoupleofscore.Theyexchangedcheersandgreetingsastheypassed,the'RedLion'brakebeingnoticeableaboveallforitsuproariousness.Asthedayworeonthesunbecamehotter,andtheroadseemedmoredustyandthrewupagreaterheat.
'Iamgetting'ot!'wasthecommoncry,andeveryonebegantopuffandsweat.
Theladiesremovedtheircloaksandcapes,andthemen,followingtheirexample,tookofftheircoatsandsatintheirshirt-sleeves.Whereuponensuedmuchbanterofanotparticularlyedifyingkindrespectingthegarmentswhicheachpersonwouldliketoremove—whichshowedthattheinnuendoofFrenchfarceisnotsounknowntotheupright,honestEnglishmanasmightbesupposed.
Atlastcameinsightthehalf-wayhouse,wherethehorsesweretohavearestandaspongedown.Theyhadbeentalkingofitforthelastquarterofamile,andwhenatlengthitwasobservedonthetopofahillacheerbrokeout,andsomethirstywagbegantosing'RuleBritannia',whilstothersburstforthwithadifferentnationalditty,'Beer,GloriousBeer!'Theydrewupbeforethepubentrance,andallclimbeddownasquicklyastheycould.Thebarwasbesieged,andpotmenandbarmaidswerequicklybusydrawingbeerandhandingitovertotheeagerfolkoutside.
THEIDYLLOFCORYDONANDPHYLLIS.
Gallantryorde