* * *
To-day was fair day, and the bairns all went to town. I cycled in in the
afternoon, and took the girls on the hobby-horses. I also stood Jim
Jackson and Dickie Gibson into the stirring drama entitled: "The Moaning
Spirit of the Moat ... a Drama of the Supernatural." I had a few shies
at the hairy-dolls, and won two cocoanuts and a gold tie-pin. Then I
stood fascinated by the style of the gentleman who kept the ring stall.
Several articles were hung from hooks, and you tried to throw a ring on
to a hook. His invariable comment on a ploughman's attempt was: "Hard
luck for the alarum-clock! Give the gentleman a collar-stud."
About five o'clock Jim came up to me.
"How now, duke," I said breezily, "how much money have you left?"