"Righto!" she said. "After all, it's our last afternoon together, and I _should_ like to do you all proud. I'll chance it. The rest of you can start down to the Den and collect sticks, while I run along to the house and ask him. Nicky, you had better come with me to carry down saucepans and things. Come on--I'll race you!" Three minutes later, Sir John Carr, smoking a meditative cigar upon the lawn, was aware of a sudden scurry and patter in the lane outside. Directly after this, with a triumphant shriek, the small figure of his future sister-in-law shot through the garden-gate, closely followed by that of his future wife. Mr Dawks, faint yet pursuing, brought up the rear. The competitors flung themselves down on the grass at his feet, panting. "We have been having a race," explained Daphne rather gratuitously. "I won!" gasped Nicky. "Daph has the longest legs," she continued, "but I have the shortest skirts. Now, my children, I must leave you. Wire in!" she concluded, in a hoarse and penetrating whisper to Daphne. Her short skirts flickered round the corner of the house, and she was gone. Daphne was left facing her _fiancé_. "I say," she began rather constrainedly--"don't get up; I'm not going to stay--do you think you could lend me a little money? I--I'll pay you back in a day or two," she added with a disarming smile. "The fact is, we are going to make toffee down in the Den, and I wanted to get a few extra things, just to give them all a real treat to finish up with, you know. Will you--Jack?" Juggernaut looked up at her with his slow scrutinising smile. "What sort of extra things?" he inquired. "Oh!"--Daphne closed her eyes and began to count on her fingers--"buns, and chocolates, and nuts, and gingerbeer. And I wanted to give Ally a packet of cigarettes. (After all, he's eighteen, and he does love them so, and they are only ten for threepence.) And if you could run to it, I should like to get a few bananas as well," she concluded with a rush, laying all her cards on the table at once. Juggernaut leaned back in his chair and looked extremely judicial. "What will all this cost?" he inquired. "One and eleven," said Daphne. "Jack, you _dear_! We _shall_ have a time!" Juggernaut had taken a handful of change out of his pocket. "One and eleven," he said; "I wonder, Daphne, if you will be able to purchase an afternoon of perfect happiness for that sum in a year's time." He handed over the money. "May I have a receipt?" he asked gravely. Daphne took his meaning, and kissed him lightly. She lingered for a moment, anxious not to appear in a hurry to run away. "Is there anything else?" inquired Sir John at length. Daphne ran an inward eye over the possibilities of dissipation. "No, I don't think so," she said. "Thanks ever so much! We shall be back about six. So long, old man. Don't go to sleep in this hot sun."