ou see it
is always fo-gay." And he meant "fog-gy." Well, he wasn't far wrong,
just now.

* * * * *

[Illustration: "COMING EVENTS CAST THEIR SHADOWS BEFORE."]

* * * * *

THE TRAVELLING COMPANIONS.

NO. XXI.

SCENE--_The Steps of the Hotel Dandolo, about 11 A.M. PODBURY
is looking expectantly down the Grand Canal, CULCHARD is
leaning upon the balustrade._

_Podbury_. Yes, met BOB just now. They've gone to the Europa, but
we've arranged to take a gondola together, and go about. They're
to pick me up here. Ah, that looks rather like them. (_A gondola
approaches, with Miss PRENDERGAST and BOB; PODBURY goes down the
steps to meet them._) How are you, Miss PRENDERGAST? Here I _am_,
you see.

[Illustration: "I guess you want to Cologne _your_ cheeks!"]

_Miss Prendergast_t (_ignoring C.'s salute_). How do you do, Mr.
PODBURY? Surely you don't propose to go out in a gondola in _that_
hat!

_Podb._ (_taking off a brown "pot-hat," and inspecting it_). It--it's
quite _decent_. It was new when I came away!

_Bob_ (_who is surly this morning_). Hang it all, 'PATIA! Do you want
him to come out in a chimney-pot? Jump in, old fellow; never mind your
tile?

_Podb._ (_apologetically_). I had a straw one--but I sat on it. I'm
awfully sorry, Miss PRENDERGAST. Look here, shall I go and see if I
can buy one?

_Miss P._ Not now--it doesn't signify, for once. But around hat and a
gondola are really _too_ incongruous!

_Podb._ Are they? A lot of the Venetians seem to wear 'em. (_He steps
in._) Now what are we going to do--just potter about?

_Miss P._ One hardly comes to Venice to _potter_! I thought we'd go
and study the Carpaccios at the Church of the Schiavoni first--they
won't take us more than an hour or so; then cross to San Giorgio
Maggiore, and see the Tintorets, come back and get a general idea of
the exterior of St. Mark's, and spend the afternoon at the Accademia.

_Podb._ (_with a slight absence of heartiness_). Capital!
And--er--lunch at the Academy, I suppose?

_Miss P._ There does not happen to be a restaurant there--we shall
see what time we have. I must say _I_ regard every minute of daylight
spent on food here as a sinful waste.

_Bob_. Now just look here, 'PATIA, if you _are_ bossing this show, you
needn't go cutting us off our grub! What do _you_ say, JEM?

_Podb._ (_desperately anxious to please_). Oh, I don't know that I