The Washington herald., 1914-04-12

Hafnes with his electric torch drawn
and blazing, when we heard them kick
ing at the pantry door, and in the drive
with our bicycles before man and boys
poured pell-mell down the steps.
We rushed our machines to the nearer
gate, for both were shut, and we got
through and swung it home behind US
in the nick of time. Even / could
mount before they could reopen the gate,
which Raffies held against them for half
an instant with unnecessary gallantry.
But he would see me in front of him,
and so it fell to me to lead the way.
Now, l have said that it was a very
misty night (hence the whole thing),
and also that these houses were on .
hill. But they were not nearly on the
top of the hill, and | did what | firmly
believe that almost everybody would
have done in my place. Raffles, indeed,
said he would have done it himself, but
that was his generosity, and he was the
one man who would not. What / did
was to turn in the opposite direction to
the other gate, where we might so cas-
lily have been cut off, and to pedal for
my life-uphill!
Heavens l shouted when | found
it out.
Can you turn in your own length~
asked Raffies, following Loyalty.
Not certain"
Then stick to it You couldn't helu
it But it's the devil of hillr
And here they comer'
! Let them." said Raffies, and brand.
ished his electric torch, our only light
as yet.
"Oh, to think I've let you in for thisT
groaned, my head over the handle
bars, every ounce of my weight first on
one foot and then on the other. I
glanced at Raffles, and in the white light
of his torch he was doing it all with his
ankles, exactly as though he had been
riding in a gymkhana.
It's the most sporting chase l was
ever in, said he.
"All my faultT
My dear Bunny. l wouldn't have
missed it for the world!"
Nor would he forge ahead OF me,
| though he could have done so in a mo-
ment, he who from his boyhood had
done everything of the kind so much
better than anybody else. No, he must
ride wheels length behind me, and
; now We could not only hear the boys
running, but breathing also And then
OF sudden | saw Rafflcs on my right
striking with his torch; face few out
OF the darkness to meet the thick glass
bulb with the glowing wire enclosed il
was the face OF the boy 0iphert, with his
enviablc mustache, but it vanished with
the crash OF glass, and the naked wire
thickened to the eye like tuning-fork
struck redhot
/ saw no more of that One of them
had crept up on my side also; as I
looked, hearing him pant, he was grab
bing at my left handle. and nearly sent
Raffies into the hedge by the sharp turn
ltook to the right His wheels length
saved him. But my boy could run, was
overhauling me again, seemed certain
OF me this time, when all at once nv
wheel ran easily; every ounce OF nv
weight with either foot once more, and
l was over the crest OF the hill. the gray
road reeling out from under me as I
felt for my brake. l looked back at
Rufties. He had put up his feet. 1
screwed my head round still farther,
and there were the boys in their pa
Jamas. their hands upon their knees. like
so many wicket keepers, and a big man
shaking his fist. There was a lamp
post on the hilltop, and that was the last
l saw.
We had no further adventures on the
way home, and our coffee was still warm
upon the hob
But | think it's an occasion for Sui
hvans,' said Raffles, who now kent
them for such. BY all my gods, Bunny.
IT'S been the most sporting night we
ever had In our lives! And do YOU
know which was the most sporting part
of it,"
That uphill ride?"
Il wasn't thinking of it."
Turning your tourch into trunch-
con-"
MY dear Bunny A gallant lad-I
hated hitting him"
Il know" l said. The way YOU got
US out of the house!"
No, Bunny said Raf1es, blowing
rings: 1T came before that, you sin
ner, and you know it,"
You don't mean anything did,"
said /, self-consciously, for l began to
see that this was what he did mean. And
now at latest it will also be seen why
this story has been told with undue and
gusto; there is none other
like it for me to tell; it is my one eve
lamb in all these annals But Raffles
had rudcr name for it.