There must 'ave been a
good deal between 'em, to my way o' thinkin'. Mind you I'm only giving you
my _sum_ of it all, because all I know is second-hand so to speak, or
rather I should say more than second-'and."
"How?" said Hooper peremptorily. "You must have seen it or heard it."
"Yes," said Pyecroft. "I used to think seein' and hearin' was the only
regulation aids to ascertainin' facts, but as we get older we get more
accommodatin'. The cylinders work easier, I suppose.... Were you in Cape
Town last December when Phyllis's Circus came?"
"No--up country," said Hooper, a little nettled at the change of venue.
"I ask because they had a new turn of a scientific nature called 'Home and
Friends for a Tickey.'"
"Oh, you mean the cinematograph--the pictures of prize-fights and
steamers. I've seen 'em up country."
"Biograph or cinematograph was what I was alludin' to. London Bridge with
the omnibuses--a troopship goin' to the war--marines on parade at
Portsmouth an' the Plymouth Express arrivin' at Paddin'ton."
"Seen 'em all. Seen 'em all," said Hooper impatiently.
"We _Hierophants_ came in just before Christmas week an' leaf was easy."
"I think a man gets fed up with Cape Town quicker than anywhere else on
the station. Why, even Durban's more like Nature. We was there for
Christmas," Pritchard put in.
"Not bein' a devotee of Indian _peeris_, as our Doctor said to the Pusser,
I can't exactly say.
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