eonic
confidence in his manner, which proved quite embarrassing to his
hearers. Margaret pinched Jack's arm as a protest against further
questionings; Jack murmured something extraordinarily like an apology;
then they all tumbled into the car, tucked the rugs round their knees,
turned up the collars of their coats, and sailed off on the smooth,
swift voyage through the wintry air.

For the first hour all went without a hitch. The youthful chauffeur
drove smoothly and well; he had not much knowledge of the countryside;
but as Jack knew every turn by heart, having frequently bicycled over
the route, no delay was caused, and a merrier party of Christmas
revellers could not have been found than the four occupants of the
tonneau. They sang, they laughed, they told stories, and asked riddles;
they ate sandwiches out of a tin, and drank hot coffee out of a thermos
flask, and congratulated themselves, not once, but a dozen times, over
their own ingenuity in hitting upon such a delightful variation to the
usual Christmas programme.

More than half the distance had been accomplished; the worst part of the
road had been reached, and the car was beginning to bump and jerk in a
somewhat uncomfortable fashion. Jack frowned, and looked at the slight
figure of the chauffeur with a returning doubt.

"He's all right on smooth roads, but this part needs a lot of driving.
Another time----" He set his lips, and mentally rehearsed the complaints
which he would make to "my father" when he paid the bill. Margaret gave
a squeal, and looked doubtfully over the side.

"I--I suppose it's all right! What would happen if he lost control, and
we slipped back all the way downhill?"

"It isn't a question of control. It's a question of the strength of the
car. It's powerful enough for worse hills than this."

"What's that funny noise? It didn't sound like that before. Kind of a
clickety-clack. . . . Don't you hear it?"

"No. Of course not. Don't be stupid and imagine things that don't
exist. . . . What's the difference between----"

Jack nobly tried to distract attention from the car, but before another
mile had been traversed, the clickety-clack noise grew too loud to be
ignored, the car drew up with a jerk, and the chauffeur leaped out.

"I must just see----" he murmured vaguely; vaguely also he seemed to
grope at the machinery of the car, while the four occupants of the
tonneau hung over the doors watching his progress; then once more
spri