hrottle-lever in the
steering-post, and gave the motor all its gas.

The thing was done in a quarter the time it's taken me to write of it,
and you can guess the effect. Bang! bang! came a succession of
explosions quick and pitiless as a Maxim gun. Those peasants gave way
like wheat before the scythe. I don't doubt they thought they were shot
and on the way to kingdom come; and before they'd time to find out their
mistake I was up on the step, had seized the steering-wheel, and started
the car. We were on a slight decline, and the good steed bounded forward
at the rate of fifteen miles an hour. An instant later I slipped in the
fourth, and we were going forty-five.

When the enemy saw how they'd been tricked, which they did in about six
seconds, they were after us with a howl. A shower of stones fell
harmlessly on the road behind us, angry yells were drowned in the
hideous noise of the exhaust. We could afford to laugh at the thought of
pursuit. But there was another side to the story. Now that there was no
one on the spot to complain of their threats of violence, they could
safely apply to the police and make a bold stroke for vengeance, just as
we had for escape. However, there was no use in thinking of that for the
moment; I had done the best I could and must go on doing it. No normal
tympanum could stand the racket of the exhaust for long, and Miss
Randolph and Miss Kedison were sitting with their hands over their ears,
the lower part of Aunt Mary's face under her mask expressing a comical
horror. I caught sight of her visage when I stopped the car (which I did
as soon as we were beyond danger of pursuit) to fasten up the silencer
again; and it was all I could do not to laugh.

The fastening-up business was an affair of two or three minutes, and at
first the three sat in shocked silence, their heads dazed by the late
ear-splitting din. Then, the cool peace of welcome silence was broken by
Mr. Payne. "I consider," he said stiffly to Miss Randolph, "that your
_mecanicien_ has behaved with unwarrantable insolence in ordering
me----"

"And I consider that he saved the situation," cut in the _mecanicien's_
mistress.

"I acted for what I thought the best, miss; there wasn't much time to
decide," said I, with a sleek humility which I assume on occasions. "If
I have given offence, I am sorry," I went on, looking at her and not at
Payne.

"You haven't given offence," she said. "I am sure Mr. Payne, when he
comes to r