You should have been there. It was a rag.'
'Wish I had been. Hullo, is that the Babe come back?'
It was. The Babe, with his father and a party of friends arrayed in
evening dress. They carried a ladder amongst them.
The pungent remarks Jim had intended to address to the Babe had no
opportunity of active service. It was not the Babe who carried him up
the ladder, but two of the dinner-party. Nor did the Babe have a hand
in the carrying of the stretcher. That was done by as many of the
evening-dress brigade as could get near enough. They seemed to enjoy
it. One of them remarked that it reminded him of South Africa. To which
another replied that it was far more like a party of policemen
gathering in an 'early drunk' in the Marylebone Road. The procession
moved on its stately way to the Babe's father's house, and the last
Tony and Charteris saw of Jim, he was the centre of attraction, and
appeared to be enjoying himself very much.
Charteris envied him, and did not mind saying so.
'Why can't _I_ smash my ankle?' he demanded indignantly of Tony.
He was nearing section five, sub-section three, of his discourse, when
they reached Merevale's gates.
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