"Ask Pomfret," said I. "He's in disgrace."

"You haven't hurt him?"

"He nearly killed me."

"What happened"

"Lost his temper just because the petrol ran out. Believe me, a
horrid exhibition. Absolutely let himself go. In other words,
the brakes failed, and I had to run him into the bushes. One
lamp and one wing broken, otherwise unhurt. To adjusting brakes
-materials, nil; labour, three hours at a drink an hour, three
pints ale. Oh, rotten, my dear, rotten!"

I sank into a chair.

"Meanwhile, we've had to entertain the Wilson crowd. I suppose
you forgot they were coming?"

"I was with you in spirit."

"In beer, you mean," said Berry. "Look here, I knew you when you
were seven, before you had put off the white mantle of innocence
and assumed the cloak of depravity. It has been my unhappy lot
to be frequently in your company ever since, and, speaking from a
long and distasteful experience of you and your ways, I am quite
satisfied that, if you did meet with some slight contretemps, you
made no whole-hearted effort to rejoin us in time to degrade your