Part 5 (1/2)

”I'm not one to chop and change.”

”When we run across him, I'll make myself scarce.”

”You'll do nothing of the kind, Mr. Trew.”

He pointed out, in the crocodile house, one or two regular customers of the Baker Street to Victoria route, and when they recognized him he became purple with content. A short youth was making notes near a tank in the corner. Mr. Trew, nudging Gertie, went to him and, in a gruff voice, asked what the deuce he was doing there; the youth turned to give a retort.

”I've got your young lady cousin with me,” explained Mr. Trew. ”Come along, and help with the task of looking after her.”

Clarence Mills was pleased to meet Gertie, and, as the three went towards the red-bricked lions' house, mentioned that he proposed to write a dialogue sketch of the Zoo; up to the present little worth recording had been overheard, and he expected he would, as usual, be compelled to invent the conversations.

”I read all of yours, Clarence, that appear in the newspapers,” said Gertie.

”That doesn't take up a great deal of your time,” he remarked.

”But you're getting on, aren't you?”

”I think of going in for the boot-black business,” he said. ”I believe I could make a reputation there.”

”Don't you go losing 'eart,” advised Mr. Trew. ”I shouldn't be in the position I occupy now if I hadn't made up my mind, from the start, not to get low-spirited. If any disappointments come your way, simply laugh at 'em. They can stand anything but that. Who is this I see on the far horizon?”

”Don't let him catch sight of us just yet,” begged the girl apprehensively. ”He seems to have ladies with him.”

Henry's companions entered the house, as the roaring within became insistent, and he looked up and down eagerly. Gertie gave a whistle.

”You and I have met before,” he said smilingly to Mr. Trew.

”I was a Boy Messenger then, sir.”

Gertie introduced her cousin with a touch of pride.

”I am trying to think,” said Clarence, ”where I saw your name to-day.”

”Haven't made a name yet,” remarked Henry. ”Only been at it for about eighteen months. I say! We don't want to go into that enormous crowd.

We'll stroll round and see how the penguins are getting on. They sometimes look as though they were thinking of giving me a commission to draw up plans for new Law Courts.”

At one of the open windows the two ladies were standing, watching over many heads the high tea that was being served to the impatient animals.

The younger one happened to turn as Gertie and her friends went by; she raised her eyebrows.

”Everybody one knows appears to be here,” said Henry Dougla.s.s. ”I wish you had agreed instead to run out with me from Baker Street Station into the country.”

”Can't do that yet,” she answered definitely. ”Not until we know each other a great deal better.”

”Your rules of conduct are precise.”

”You'll like me all the better later on,” said Gertie, ”because of that. Always supposing,” she continued, ”that you do go on liking me.”

”So far as I can gather,” he remarked good-temperedly, ”I am _persona grata_ now at Praed Street.”

”I don't know what that means,” she said; ”but aunt has quite taken to you. Just look at this! Isn't it extr'ordinary?--Clarence,” she called over her shoulder to her cousin, ”here is most likely where you saw the name this afternoon.”