"What's the matter?" she asked with some anxiety.

The driver, descending leisurely from his seat, regarded her with a
complete lack of interest.

"That's just w'ot I'm goin' to find out," he replied in a detached way.

Nan watched him while he poked indifferently about the engine, then sank
back into her seat with a murmur of relief as he at last climbed once
more into his place behind the wheel and the taxi got going again.

But almost before two minutes had elapsed there came another halt,
followed by another lengthy examination of the engine's internals.
Engine trouble spelt disaster, and Nan hopped out and joined the driver
in the road.

"What's wrong?" she asked. She looked down anxiously at her wrist-watch.
"I shall miss my train at this rate."

"_I_ cawn't 'elp it if you do," returned the man surlily. He was one of
the many drivers who had taken advantage of a long-suffering public
during the war-time scarcity of taxi-cabs and he hoped to continue the
process during the peace. Incivility had become a confirmed habit with
him.

"But I can't miss it!" declared Nan.

"And this 'ere taxi cawn't catch it."

"Do you mean you really can't get her to go?" asked Nan.

"'Aven't I just bin sayin' so?"--aggressively. "That's just 'ow it
stands. She won't go."

He ignored Nan's exclamation of dismay and renewed his investigation of
the engine.

"No," he said at last, straightening himself. "I cawn't get you to
Paddington--or anyw'ere else for the matter o' that!"

He spoke with a stubborn unconcern that was simply maddening.

"Then get me another taxi--quick!" said Nan.

"W'ere from?"--contemptuously. "There ain't no taxi-rank 'ere in 'Yde
Park."

Nan looked hopelessly round. Cars and taxis, some with luggage and some
without, went speeding past her, but never a single one that was empty.

"Oh"--she turned desperately to her driver--"can't you do _anything_?
Run down and see if you can hail one for me. I'll stay by the taxi."

He shook his bead.

"Callin' taxis for people ain't my job," he remarked negligently. "I'm a
driver, I am."

Nan, driven by the extreme urgency of her need, stepped out into the
middle of the road and excitedly hailed the next taxicab that passed her
carrying luggage. The occupant, a woman, her attention attracted by
Nan's waving arm, leaned out from the window and called to her driver to
stop. Nan ran forward.

"Oh, _are_ you by any chance going to Paddington?" s