"That's a good idea," she agreed. "I'd like to find out whether
we're in any immediate danger of pursuit."

They set the basket of food beside Quimbleton, and carefully moved
on through the strip of young trees until they neared the broad
lawns that surround the Home for Inebriates. Miss Chuff, spying
delicately through a leafy chink, gave a cry of alarm.

"Heavens!" she said. "The place is full of people!"

To their amazement, they saw the white banner of the Pan-Antis
floating on one of the towers of the building, and the grounds
about the Home blackened with a moving throng. Though they were
too far distant to discern any details of the crowd, it was plain
(from the curious to-and-fro of the gathering, like the seething
of an ant-hill) that its units were imbued with some strong
emotion. At that distance it might have been anger, or fear, or
(more appropriate to the surroundings) drink.

They hurried back to Quimbleton's hiding place, and found him
already sitting up and attacking the shrimp salad. Bleak
courteously averted his eyes from the affectionate embrace of the
lovers.

"Bless your heart for this grub," said Quimbleton to Bleak. "As
soon as I smelt that shrimp salad I woke up. Do you know, I
haven't eaten for two days."

"Oh Virgil!" cried Theodolinda, "what does this mean--all the