do. I must say I'm jolly glad Donovan will be responsible for you.
It's going to be 'some' evening, I can see, and what you'll do if you get
excited I don't know. Flirt with the proprietor and have his wife down on
us, as like as not. In which event it's Donovan who'll have to make the
explanations. But come on, what are the details?"

"Tell him, Jack," said Julie. "He's a perfect beast, and I shan't speak
to him again."

Peter laughed. "Pas possible," he said. "But come on, Donovan; do as
you're told."

"Well, old bird," said Donovan, "first we meet here. Got that? It's safer
than any other camp, and we don't want to meet in town. We'll have tea
and a chat and then clear off. We'll order dinner in a private room at
the Grand, and it'll be a dinner fit for the occasion. They've got some
priceless sherry there, and some old white port. Cognac fine champagne
for the liqueur, and what date do you think?--1835 as I'm alive. I saw
some the other day, and spoke about it. That gave me the idea of the
dinner really, and I put it to the old horse that that brandy was worthy
of a dinner to introduce it. He tumbled at once. Veuve Cliquot as the
main wine. What about it?"

Peter balanced himself on the back of his chair and blew out
cigarette-smoke.

"What time are you ordering the ambulances?" he demanded.

"The beds, you mean," cried Julie, entirely forgetting her last words.
"That's what I say. _I_ shall never be able to walk to a taxi even."

"I'll carry you," said Donovan.

"You won't be able, not after such a night; besides, I don't believe you
could, anyhow. You're getting flabby from lack of exercise."

"Am I?" cried Donovan. "Let's see, anyway."

He darted at her, slipped an arm under her skirts and another under her
arms, and lifted her bodily from the chair.

"Jack," she shrieked, "put me down! Oh, you beast! Tommy, help, help!
Peter, make him put me down and I'll forgive you all you've said."

Tommy Raynard sprang up, laughing, and ran after Donovan, who could not
escape her. She threw an arm round his neck and bent his head backwards.
"I shall drop her," he shouted. Peter leaped forward, and Julie landed in
his arms.

For a second she lay still, and Peter stared down at her. With her quick
intuition she read something new in his eyes, and instantly looked away,
scrambling out and standing there flushed and breathing hard, her hands
at her hair. "You perfect brute!" she said to Donovan, laughing. "I'll
p