"Tranquil, beautiful thoughts. You see, if your mind's all right, your body's all right. That's the way I look at it." Hugo settled himself at the wheel. "Let's get this clear," he said. "You expect my uncle Lester to think beautiful thoughts?" "All the time." "Even under a cold shower?" "Yes, sir." "God bless you!" said Hugo. He stepped on the self-starter, and urged the two-seater pensively down the drive. He was glad when the shrubberies hid him from the view of Doctor Twist, for one wanted to forget a fellow like that as soon as possible. A moment later, he was still gladder: for, as he turned the first corner, there popped out suddenly from a rhododendron bush a stout man with a red and streaming face. Lester Carmody had had to hurry, and he was not used to running. "Woof!" he ejaculated, barring the fairway. Relief flooded over Hugo. The marts of trade had not been closed after all. "Give me those cigarettes!" panted Mr. Carmody. For an instant Hugo toyed with the idea of creating a rising market. But he was no profiteer. Hugo Carmody, the Square Dealer. "Ten quid," he said, "and they're yours." Agony twisted Mr. Carmody's glowing features. "Five," he urged. "Ten," said Hugo. "Eight." "Ten." Mr. Carmody made the great decision. "Very well. Give me them. Quick." "Turkish this side, Virginian that," said Hugo. The rhododendron bush quivered once more from the passage of a heavy body: birds in the neighbouring trees began to sing again their anthems of joy: and Hugo, in his trousers pocket two crackling five-pound notes, was bowling off along the highway. Even Doctor Twist could have found nothing to cavil at in the beauty of the thoughts he was thinking. He carolled like a linnet in the springtime. CHAPTER III "Yes, sir," Hugo Carmody was assuring a listening world as he turned the two-seater in at the entrance of the stable yard of Rudge Hall some thirty minutes later, "that's my baby. No, sir, don't mean maybe. Yes, sir, that's my baby now. And, by the way, by the way...." "Blast you!" said his cousin John, appearing from nowhere. "Get out of that car." "Hullo, John," said Hugo. "So there you are, John. I say, John, I've just been paying a call on the head of the family over at Healthward Ho. Why they don't run excursion trains of sightseers there is more than I can understand. It's worth seeing, believe me. Large, fat men doing bending and stretching exercises. Tons of humanity leaping about with skipping ropes. Never a dull moment from start to finish, and all clean, wholesome fun, mark you, without a taint of vulgarity or suggestiveness. Pack some sandwiches and bring the kiddies. And let me tell you the best thing of all, John...." "I can't stop to listen. You've made me late already." "Late for what?" "I'm going to London." "You are?" said Hugo, with a smile at the happy coincidence. "So am I. You can give me a lift." "I won't."