“Come! come; stupid, now is your time; why don't you bestir yourself?” Then I awakened to a full sense of my responsibilities and opportunities, and rushing to the fore, seized the rash and obstinate pug by the scruff of the neck and restored him, rescued from the Juggernaut, to the arms of his grateful mistress. Thus did Antaeus fulfill his share of our agreement. This little incident broke the ice. In less than a week the young lady and I knew each other almost intimately. It transpired that we were in fact old acquaintances. That is to say, she remembered me when I was at home during one college vacation, and she hoped I had not forgotten the small miss who used to come over and play tea-party with my sister. I replied that I should hope not, indeed, and mentally took myself to task for not being surer about it. The boy of seventeen is less likely to be impressed with the girl of eight than is the young man of twenty-eight with the maiden of nineteen. I was positive that at the end of another eleven years I should have had no trouble in recalling her to mind. I am not a tennis enthusiast, but I will admit that my white flannel suit had a chance to contrast itself with the velvety green of the lawn across the way rather frequently after that. It was a convenient and plausible excuse for being with her a good deal. [Illustration: 0212] The pleasure of her society was worth some physical discomfort, and I couldn't complain if I did feel for a week or more as if I had been given a sound drubbing. One day, after we had finished a series of games--in which mine was second-best record--who should appear, laboriously rumbling by, but my well-nigh forgotten friend Antaeus. “What an uncouth piece of mechanism that is!” she exclaimed, turning to look at him--“a sort of caricature of a locomotive, one might say. A veritable snail for traveling, too, isn't it?” “Yes; his--I mean it's--best speed does not exceed five miles an hour, I am told. A man might walk as fast as that with a little exertion.” “I wonder if it is a pleasant mode of riding--in a steam-roller?” she said, half musing, her gaze still resting on Antaeus. “At least one would have plenty of leisure for viewing the scenery along the way. I should rather like to try a short ride on it.” “Should you, really,” I asked, doubting whether or not she was in earnest. “Yes, indeed, I should.” If she had been half in jest before she was serious now. “It would be a new experience.” “Hardly an agreeable one for a lady, though,” I commented. “Oh, that would be a secondary consideration,” she returned with a shrug. “I should value the experience as an experience, and I should be glad to have it to put on my list.” I looked inquisitive and she proceeded to explain.