fashions: very pink
faced, though his blue eyes were bilious beneath: very much on the
spot, although the spot was the wrong one.

They discoursed amiably as they went, James bending forward, Mr. May
bending back. Mr. May took the refined man-of-the-world tone.

"Of course," he said--he used the two words very often, and
pronounced the second, rather mincingly, to rhyme with _sauce_: "Of
course," said Mr. May, "it's a disgusting place--_disgusting_! I
never was in a worse, in all the _cauce_ of my travels. But
_then_--that isn't the point--"

He spread his plump hands from his immaculate shirt-cuffs.

"No, it isn't. Decidedly it isn't. That's beside the point
altogether. What we want--" began James.

"Is an audience--of _cauce_--! And we have it--! Virgin soil--!

"Yes, decidedly. Untouched! An unspoiled market."

"An unspoiled market!" reiterated Mr. May, in full confirmation,
though with a faint flicker of a smile. "How very _fortunate_ for
us."

"Properly handled," said James. "Properly handled."

"Why yes--of _cauce_! Why _shouldn't_ we handle it properly!"

"Oh, we shall manage that, we shall manage that," came the quick,
slightly husky voice of James.

"Of _cauce_ we shall! Why bless my life, if we can't manage an
audience in Lumley, what _can_ we do."

"We have a guide in the matter of their taste," said James. "We can
see what Wright's are doing--and Jordan's--and we can go to
Hathersedge and Knarborough and Alfreton--beforehand, that is--"

"Why certainly--if you think it's _necessary_. I'll do all that for
you. _And_ I'll interview the managers and the performers
themselves--as if I were a journalist, don't you see. I've done a
fair amount of journalism, and nothing easier than to get cards from
various newspapers."

"Yes, that's a good suggestion," said James. "As if you were going
to write an account in the newspapers--excellent."

"And so simple! You pick up just _all_ the information you require."

"Decidedly--decidedly!" said James.

And so behold our two heroes sniffing round the sordid backs and
wasted meadows and marshy places of Lumley. They found one barren
patch where two caravans were standing. A woman was peeling
potatoes, sitting on the bottom step of her caravan. A half-caste
girl came up with a large pale-blue enamelled jug of water. In the
background were two booths covered up with coloured canvas.
Hammering was heard inside.

"Good-morning!" said Mr. May, stopping befo