“That’s the ticket.  Come on, Herr Stunkenblotch.  Never mind your boot.  Think of the purchase you’ll get with a bare foot.”  He stepped behind the car.  “Now, you do as I do, and, when I say ‘Go,’ drop your bullet head and try to shove the old ’bus into the middle of next fortnight.”

With a snarl, Mr. Dunkelsbaum slunk limping to the back of the car....

A moment later—­

“Go!” said my brother-in-law.

Maliciously I waited the best part of thirty seconds.  Then—­

“Are you ready?” I inquired, innocently enough.

The explosion which my question provoked was truly terrible.

The panting alien and Berry immediately reappeared, one upon either side of the car, the latter protesting with an injured air that he was not so young as he was, and that, if I wanted him to survive the summer, I had better keep my ears open, while, to judge from his behaviour, the reflection that his recent output of vigour had been rendered nugatory by my unreadiness was hurrying Mr. Dunkelsbaum into the valley of insanity.  Purple in the face from the unwonted violence of his physical and mental exercise, streaming with perspiration and shaking with passion, the fellow stormed and raved like a demoniac, and, if Berry had not stepped in front of the bonnet and, taking him by the arm, led him again to the back of the car, I believe he would have fallen down in a fit.

“Are you ready?” I called.

A hurricane of affirmatory invective answered me.

I started the engine, changed into first and let in the clutch.  As I changed into second, uprose a medley of cries and barking.  I leaned out, exhorting the pedestrians by words and gestures to come aboard....

Head up, teeth bared, fists clenched and arms working, Mr. Dunkelsbaum was running like a stag.  Berry was loping along just behind, apparently offering encouragement and advice, while the Sealyham was alternately running and jumping up and down in front of the frantic alien, barking as if he were possessed.  Even as I looked, the inevitable happened.  Nobby miscalculated his distance and landed too close to the object of his attentions, Berry gave a warning, but belated, shout, and Mr. Dunkelsbaum made a desperate effort to avoid the stumbling-block, tripped, recovered himself, crossed his legs, and with an unearthly cry fell heavily to the ground.

I changed into third speed.

As we swung round the corner at the top of the hill, I threw a glance over my shoulder.

Berry was sitting on the bank by the side of the road with his head in his hands, Mr. Dunkelsbaum had risen to his feet and was in the act of hurling himself in the direction of Nobby, and the latter, with his small tail well over his back, was circling delightedly about his victim, still barking like a fiend and ricochetting like a roulette ball.

The next moment we were out of sight, and I changed into top speed.