o free with his jokes," said the little man with the
beard.

"It's downright disgusting," said Hoopdriver, falling back upon his
speech. "A lady can't ride a bicycle in a country road, or wear a dress
a little out of the ordinary, but every dirty little greaser must needs
go shouting insults--"

"_I_ didn't know the young lady would hear what I said," said Charlie.
"Surely one can speak friendly to one's friends. How was I to know the
door was open--"

Hoopdriver began to suspect that his antagonist was, if possible, more
seriously alarmed at the prospect of violence than himself, and his
spirits rose again. These chaps ought to have a thorough lesson. "Of
COURSE you knew the door was open," he retorted indignantly. "Of COURSE
you thought we should hear what you said. Don't go telling lies about
it. It's no good your saying things like that. You've had your fun, and
you meant to have your fun. And I mean to make an example of you, Sir."

"Ginger beer," said the little man with the beard, in a confidential
tone to the velveteen jacket, "is regular up this 'ot weather. Bustin'
its bottles it is everywhere."

"What's the good of scrapping about in a public-house?" said Charlie,
appealing to the company. "A fair fight without interruptions, now, I
WOULDN'T mind, if the gentleman's so disposed."

Evidently the man was horribly afraid. Mr. Hoopdriver grew truculent.

"Where you like," said Mr. Hoopdriver, "jest wherever you like."

"You insulted the gent," said the man in velveteen.

"Don't be a bloomin' funk, Charlie," said the man in gaiters. "Why, you
got a stone of him, if you got an ounce."

"What I say, is this," said the gentleman with the excessive chins,
trying to get a hearing by banging his chair arms. "If Charlie goes
saying things, he ought to back 'em up. That's what I say. I don't mind
his sayin' such things 't all, but he ought to be prepared to back 'em
up."

"I'll BACK 'em up all right," said Charlie, with extremely bitter
emphasis on 'back.' "If the gentleman likes to come Toosday week--"

"Rot!" chopped in Hoopdriver. "Now."

"'Ear, 'ear," said the owner of the chins.

"Never put off till to-morrow, Charlie, what you can do to-day," said
the man in the velveteen coat.

"You got to do it, Charlie," said the man in gaiters. "It's no good."

"It's like this," said Charlie, appealing to everyone except Hoopdriver.
"Here's me, got to take in her ladyship's dinner to-morrow night. How
should