"Think!" cried Jack; and every lover's vow was in the one word.
"Slip to your boat, quickly!" cried Marjolaine, peeping round the corner
of the Gazebo. But before he could move she gave a startled cry and
motioned him back. For the Muffin-man had entered the Walk ringing his
bell.
"Dash it! What's that?" cried Jack.
"Keep still! It's the Muffin-man!"
"I'm off!"
"Wait!" Now she was peeping through an opening in the box-wood hedge.
"Jack! The whole Walk's awake! Look!"
Jack's head was very close to hers. "I can't see; your hair's in the
way. Don't move!" For a moment they stood watching.
And indeed the Walk was awake. The Muffin-man's bell had acted like
magic. The Admiral and Jim were already bargaining with him. Mrs.
Poskett was on her doorstep with a plate in her hand. So was Ruth
Pennymint. Barbara was in the garden, and Basil was telling her just
how many muffins he wanted from the upstairs window; Jane, Mr.
Brooke-Hoskyn's maid, was waiting impatiently; and Dr. Sternroyd had
come out of his house book in hand, and was making frantic signals so as
not to be overlooked. And they were all talking, and gesticulating, and
calling.
"By Jove!" cried Jack excitedly, "there's old Antrobus!"
"All of them! All of them!" wailed Marjolaine.
"They 're all buying muffins--greedy pigs!--They won't see me." He made
as if to dash out.
Marjolaine held him back. "Yes, they will. Let me go first. I'll get
them talking, and then you can slip away." But she started back with a
suppressed scream.
"What now?" cried Jack.
"Maman and Nanette!"
Yes. As ill-luck would have it Madame Lachesnais and her old servant
turned the corner at this moment, and with a friendly word to each of
her neighbours Madame was coming slowly towards the Gazebo.
"They must not come here!" cried Marjolaine in distress. "I cannot
explain you before the whole Walk!--Is my hair straight?"
"Lovely!--Monday?"
"Oh, I don't know. I'm frightened."
"Monday?" insisted Jack.
"Yes! Yes!"
But meanwhile Mr. Brooke-Hoskyn had come out of his house, and taking
advantage of the hubbub in the Walk had crossed--shall I say like a
sleuth-hound?--more like a sleuth-cat, if there be such an animal--to
the Gazebo. So that when Marjolaine came forward to intercept her
mother, she ran straight into his arms.
"All right, Miss Marjory," he whispered, with something very like a
wink, "I'll fetch the things for you."
"No, no!" cried Marjolaine, in agony.
Her mother caught sight of her and called her.
For a moment Marjolaine stood irresolute. Then, with an almost
hysterical laugh, she ran to her mother. "Me voila, Maman cherie!"
Jack was peering through the hole in the hedge, looking for a chance of
escape. Mr. Brooke-Hoskyn put his head slily round the corner of the
Gazebo--and, sure enough, just as he had suspected--there was a young
man!
What with the Muffin-man, and Madame, and Marjolaine running to and fro
and button-holing everybody who seemed to be inclined to drift towards
the summer-house, the Walk's attention was fully occupied. Mr.
Brooke-Hoskyn lifted his fat hand and brought it down with a sounding
thwack on Jack's shoulder.
"What the devil--?" cried Jack, turning fiercely on his assailant. And
then in amazement, "Hoskyn! By all that's improbable, old Hoskyn!"
If it were possible for a large man to shrivel, the great Mr. Jerome
Brooke-Hoskyn seemed to shrivel as he recognised Jack. He could only
stammer, "You, sir--you!--"
"Hoskyn!" repeated Jack. And then, suspiciously, "What the devil are
you doing here?"
I hate to have to write the words, but Mr. Brooke-Hoskyn had all the
obsequious manner of a well-trained servant. "I beg pardon, sir," he
muttered, and turned to go.
But Jack caught him by the lapel of his coat. "No, no, Hoskyn; you don't
get off so easily. What are you doing here?"