Have another drink!"
"I didn't know they were as drunk as all that when they stopped me," I
explained.
"You can say all that at Linghurst," was the answer. "Come on."
"Quite right," I said. "But the question is, if you take these two out on
the road, they'll fall down or start killing you."
"Then I'd call on you to assist me in the execution o' my duty."
"But I'd see you further first. You'd better come with us in the car. I'll
turn this passenger out." (This was my engineer, sitting quite silent.)
"You don't want him, and, anyhow, he'd only be a witness for the defence."
"That's true," said the constable. "But it wouldn't make any odds--at
Linghurst."
My engineer skipped into the bracken like a rabbit. I bade him cut across
Sir Michael Gregory's park, and if he caught my friend, to tell him I
should probably be rather late for lunch.
"I ain't going to be driven by _him_." Our destined prey pointed at
Hinchcliffe with apprehension.
"Of course not. You sake my seat and keep the big sailor in order. He's
too drunk to do much. I'll change places with the other one. Only be
quick; I want to pay my fine and get it over."
"That's the way to look at it," he said, dropping into the left rear seat.
"We're making quite a lot out o' you motor gentry." He folded his arms
judicially as the car gathered way under Hinchcliffe's stealthy hand.
"But _you_ aren't driving?" he cried, half rising.
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