Woodseer would have had to come and was coming; he happened to say: ‘Don’t knock my pipe out of my mouth,’ and touched a chord in the giant. ‘All--right; smoke your pipe,’ was answered to his remonstrance. During the amnesty, Fleetwood inquired: ‘Where are you going?’ ‘Far a drive,--to be sure. Don’t you see!’ ‘You’ll return?’ ‘I intend to return.’ ‘He’s beastly excited,’ quoth Abrane. Fleetwood silenced him, though indeed Woodseer appeared suspiciously restive. ‘Step down and have a talk with me before you start. You’re not to go yet.’ ‘I must. I’m in a hurry.’ ‘What ‘s the hurry?’ ‘I want to smoke and think.’ ‘Takes a carriage on the top of the morning to smoke and think! Hark at that!’ Abrane sang out. ‘Oh, come along quietly, you fellow, there’s a good fellow! It concerns us all, every man Jack; we’re all bound up in your fortunes. Fellow with luck like yours can’t pretend to behave independently. Out of reason!’ ‘Do you give me your word you return?’ said Fleetwood. Woodseer replied: ‘Very well, I do; there, I give my word. Hang it! now I know what they mean by “anything for a quiet life.” Just a shake brings us down on that cane-bottomed chair!’ ‘You return to-day?’ ‘To-day, yes, yes.’ Fleetwood signified the captive’s release; and Abrane immediately suggested: ‘Pop old Chummy in beside the fellow to mount guard.’ Potts was hustled and precipitated into the carriage by the pair, with whom he partook this last glimmer of their night’s humorous extravagances, for he was an easy creature. The carriage drove off. ‘Keep him company!’ they shouted. ‘Escort him back!’ said he, nodding. He remarked to Woodseer: ‘With your permission,’ concerning the seat he took, and that ‘a draught of morning air would do him good.’ Then he laughed politely, exchanged wavy distant farewells with his comrades, touched a breast-pocket for his case of cigars, pulled forth one, obtained ‘the loan of a light,’ blew clouds and fell into the anticipated composure, quite understanding the case and his office.