“Nip? Nonsense.” “He bit me.” “Oh, I’m so sorry. Where? Let me see.” “I won’t.” “But Nip never bites.” “All the more suspicious. Try him with some water, please.” “Where can I get water? Nip finds his own.” “You mean to say you don’t carry water?” “I’m not a water-carrier.” “How can you laugh? It’s a question of life and death. Surely there must be a pond somewhere.” “You know there’s nothing hereabouts. Why, you used to come to Kelcott to sell water at a halfpenny a pint. Don’t you remember? You bought me a monkey-on-a-stick out of the profits.” “How you babble! Then I must go in suspense?” “Drumsticks! Here, Nip!” The dog was in her lap in a twinkling. She pulled off her driving-glove and thrust her fingers into its mouth. “Bite, Nip, bite.” Will felt his first conscious flash of romance in all that fagging chase. It was like dying together. But Nip’s teeth refused to close on his mistress’s fingers—instead he growled ominously at Will. “Bite, you naughty dog!” And she pressed his reluctant teeth together. “There!” She held down towards Will two fingers faintly ridged in red and white. But instead of feeling a reassuring sanity, an impulse he felt really mad streamed through his veins to seize the little fingers in his strong hands and to pull her down from the seat of the mighty, down towards the inner breast pocket that held his bank-notes. But his stick and his coat and Methusalem’s bridle, all of which he was holding simultaneously, cluttered up his hands sufficiently to clog the impulse. “That proves nothing,” he said sulkily. “And wasn’t he lapping at the pool after you struck him?” “Ah, that’s true.” His face lit up. “Then you did strike him?” “Don’t tease. Yes, I’d forgotten, he lapped then, or rather I scarcely noticed it.” “I suppose you shut your eyes when going for him, just like a bull does.” “I didn’t go for him, I tell you. I just swished my stick.” “Well, if you’d kept your eyes open, you’d have seen him drinking and saved your fright.” He was disappointed as well as irritated. “Then when you let him bite you, you knew there was no danger.” “There’s _never_ any danger on these roads—didn’t I tell you so? Why, there was more danger in that monkey you gave me, for I sucked the paint off.” “I don’t remember giving you any monkey.” “I didn’t want a monkey, but you _made_ me take it—like that oath in the wagon. Perhaps you’ve forgotten that too.” “I can remember giving you a kiss,” he jerked defiantly. “That I can’t remember,” said Jinny quietly. “Suppose you’ve had so many since.” “Lots!” said Jinny. “Good-bye again, if you’re so silly. Gee up, Methusalem!” But he clung to the bridle and was dragged along, to Nip’s shrilled agitation. “Let go,” said Jinny. “Don’t be silly.” “Not till I have my trunk.” “That’s sillier still.” “Give me my trunk.” “I think you _have_ gone mad, Will.” “That’s not your affair, Miss Quarles, I want my trunk.” “I was ordered to deliver it at Frog Farm.”