Adventure stories; Imaginary places -- Fiction; Kings and rulers -- Fiction; London (England) -- Fiction; Love stories
I have told Congosta as much as I thought was good for him. He knows
that Isabel is now in Chester Square with some friends of mine,
though I haven't given him the actual number. He seemed so pleased
and contented I thought it was a pity to drag in anything about our
South American idea in case he didn't approve of it. Also of course
I haven't said a word to him about Molly. I mention this because if
anything exciting happens while I am away, I have told him to roll up
and inform you.
Jennings has just appeared outside with the car, and is scowling at
me so horribly through the window that I can't write any more. You
might, however, ring up Aunt Fanny and Isabel as soon as you come in
and give them my love, and let them know what's happened. I tried to
get on to them just now, but the girl at the telephone laughed me to
scorn.
Your neglected and overworked cousin,
TONY.
Having fastened this up, with Captain Simmons' letter enclosed, Tony
handed it to Spalding with instructions that he was to give it to Guy
as soon as the latter came in. Then getting into his coat, he
sauntered out through the porch and took his place at the wheel of
the car, Jennings settling himself sombrely in the seat alongside.
The exact length of the journey from London to Southampton is stated
by the _Motor Guide_ to be seventy-four and a half miles. This,
however, must be due to an error of measurement on the part of the
editor, since with an hour for lunch at Basingstoke, Tony covered the
distance in three hours and fifty-two minutes, a feat which is
clearly impossible in view of the present speed limit of twenty miles
an hour.
He pulled up at that excellent hotel, the Victoria, where he engaged
a couple of rooms for the night, and with the aid of a hot bath and a
large whisky and soda, removed such portions of the roadway as had
accumulated outside and inside his person. Then, leaving Jennings to
perform a similar service to the car, he lighted a cigar and started
off through the town in the direction of the Docks.
The _Betty_ was lying out in the Roads, some little distance from the
shore. With her graceful lines, her snowy white paint, and her
gleaming brass-work, she presented as charming a picture as the eye
of an owner could desire to gaze upon. Tony contemplated her with
pride for a moment or two, and then availing himself of the services
of one of the small cluster of ancient mariners, who had been
hovering interrogatively round him, he set off in a dinghy, across
the intervening stretch of water.
His advent was soon observed on board the yacht, and by the time he
arrived alongside, Captain Simmons was standing at the head of the
accommodation ladder waiting to receive him. The skipper, a short,
square-shouldered, grey-bearded man with honest blue eyes, greeted
his employer with a blend of pleasure and concern.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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