ace fell.

"Ah," he remarked, "there, I am afraid, you have me. Now, if you had
wanted a bad cap, not worth the price asked for it; a cap good for
nothing but to clean windows with, I could have found you the very thing.
But a good cap--no; we don't keep them. But wait a minute," he
continued,--on seeing the disappointment that spread over George's
expressive countenance, "don't be in a hurry. I have a cap here"--he
went to a drawer and opened it--"it is not a good cap, but it is not so
bad as most of the caps I sell."

He brought it forward, extended on his palm.

"What do you think of that?" he asked. "Could you put up with that?"

George fitted it on before the glass, and, choosing another remark from
the book, said:

"This hat fits me sufficiently well, but, tell me, do you consider that
it becomes me?"

The man stepped back and took a bird's-eye view.

"Candidly," he replied, "I can't say that it does."

He turned from George, and addressed himself to Harris and myself.

"Your friend's beauty," said he, "I should describe as elusive. It is
there, but you can easily miss it. Now, in that cap, to my mind, you do
miss it."

At that point it occurred to George that he had had sufficient fun with
this particular man. He said:

"That is all right. We don't want to lose the train. How much?"

Answered the man: "The price of that cap, sir, which, in my opinion, is
twice as much as it is worth, is four-and-six. Would you like it wrapped
up in brown paper, sir, or in white?"

George said he would take it as it was, paid the man four-and-six
in-silver, and went out. Harris and I followed.

At Fenchurch Street we compromised with our cabman for five shillings. He
made us another courtly bow, and begged us to remember him to the Emperor
of Austria.

Comparing views in the train, we agreed that we had lost the game by two
points to one; and George, who was evidently disappointed, threw the book
out of window.

We found our luggage and the bicycles safe on the boat, and with the tide
at twelve dropped down the river.

CHAPTER V

A necessary digression--Introduced by story containing moral--One of the
charms of this book--The Journal that did not command success--Its boast:
"Instruction combined with Amusement"--Problem: say what should be
considered instructive and what amusing--A popular game--Expert opinion
on English law--Another of the charms of this book--A hackneyed tune--Yet
a th