Part 7 (2/2)

Myra put the jug of cider down in front of us.

”There!” she said. ”Please count it, and see that I haven't drunk any on the way.”

”This is awfully nice of you, Myra. And a complete surprise to all of us except Simpson. We shall probably be here again to-morrow about the same time.”

There was a long silence, broken only by the extremely jolly sound of liquid falling from a height.

Just as it was coming to an end Archie appeared suddenly among us and dropped on the gra.s.s by the side of Dahlia. Simpson looked guiltily at the empty jug, and then leant down to his host.

”TO-MORROW!” he said in a stage whisper. ”ABOUT THE SAME TIME.”

”I doubt it,” said Archie.

”I know it for a fact,” protested Simpson.

”I'm afraid Myra and Samuel made an a.s.signation for this morning,”

said Dahlia.

”There's nothing in it, really,” said Myra. ”He's only trifling with me. He doesn't mean anything.”

Simpson buried his confused head in his gla.s.s, and proceeded to change the subject.

”We all like your house, Archie,” he said.

”We do,” I agreed, ”and we think it's very nice of you to ask us down to open it.”

”It is rather,” said Archie.

”We are determined, therefore, to do all we can to give the house a homey appearance. I did what I could for the bathroom this morning.

I flatter myself that the taint of newness has now been dispelled.”

”I was sure it was you,” said Myra. ”How do you get the water right up the walls?”

”Easily. Further, Archie, if you want any suggestions as to how to improve the place, our ideas are at your disposal.”

”For instance,” said Thomas, ”where do we play cricket?”

”By the way, you fellows,” announced Simpson, ”I've given up playing cricket.”

We all looked at him in consternation.

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