while　they　will　be　upon　us。　You　must　imagine　as　you　best　can　the　competitive　raidings　at　Midhurst　of　Widgery；　Dangle；　and　Phipps。　How　Widgery　was　great　at　questions；　and　Dangle　good　at　inference；　and　Phipps　so　conspicuously　inferior　in　everything　that　he　felt　it；　and　sulked　with　Mrs。　Milton　most　of　the　day；　after　the　manner　of　your　callow　youth　the　whole　world　over。　Mrs。　Milton　stopped　at　the　Angel　and　was　very　sad　and　charming　and　intelligent；　and　Widgery　paid　the　bill。　in　the　afternoon　of　Saturday；　Chichester　was　attained。　But　by　that　time　our　fugitivesAs　you　shall　immediately　hear。
  THE　AWAKENING　OF　MR。　HOOPDRIVER
  XXVII
  Mr。　Hoopdriver　stirred　on　his　pillow；　opened　his　eyes；　and；　staring　unmeaningly；　yawned。　The　bedclothes　were　soft　and　pleasant。　He　turned　the　peaked　nose　that　overrides　the　insufficient　moustache；　up　to　the　ceiling；　a　pinkish　projection　over　the　billow　of　white。　You　might　see　it　wrinkle　as　he　yawned　again；　and　then　became　quiet。　So　matters　remained　for　a　space。　Very　slowly　recollection　returned　to　him。　Then　a　shock　of　indeterminate　brown　hair　appeared；　and　first　one　watery　grey　eye　a…wondering；　and　then　two　；　the　bed　upheaved；　and　you　had　him；　his　thin　neck　projecting　abruptly　from　the　clothes　he　held　about　him；　his　face　staring　about　the　room。　He　held　the　clothes　about　him；　I　hope　I　may　explain；　because　his　night…shirt　was　at　Bognor　in　an　American…cloth　packet；　derelict。　He　yawned　a　third　time；　rubbed　his　eyes；　smacked　his　lips。　He　was　recalling　almost　everything　now。　The　pursuit；　the　hotel；　the　tremulous　daring　of　his　entry；　the　swift　adventure　of　the　inn　yard；　the　moonlightAbruptly　he　threw　the　clothes　back　and　rose　into　a　sitting　position　on　the　edge　of　the　bed。　Without　was　the　noise　of　shutters　being　unfastened　and　doors　unlocked；　and　the　passing　of　hoofs　and　wheels　in　the　street。　He　looked　at　his　watch。　Half…past　six。　He　surveyed　the　sumptuous　room　again。
  〃Lord！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃It　wasn't　a　dream；　after　all。〃
  〃I　wonder　what　they　charge　for　these　Juiced　rooms！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　nursing　one　rosy　foot。
  He　became　meditative；　tugging　at　his　insufficient　moustache。　Suddenly　he　gave　vent　to　a　noiseless　laugh。　〃What　a　rush　it　was！　Rushed　in　and　off　with　his　girl　right　under　his　nose。　Planned　it　well　too。　Talk　of　highway　robbery！　Talk　of　brigands　Up　and　off！　How　juiced　SOLD　he　must　be　feeling　It　was　a　shave　tooin　the　coach　yard！〃
  Suddenly　he　became　silent。　Abruptly　his　eyebrows　rose　and　his　jaw　fell。　〃I　sa…a…ay！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。
  He　had　never　thought　of　it　before。　Perhaps　you　will　understand　the　whirl　he　had　been　in　overnight。　But　one　sees　things　clearer　in　the　daylight。　〃I'm　hanged　if　I　haven't　been　and　stolen　a　blessed　bicycle。〃
  〃Who　cares？〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　presently；　and　his　face　supplied　the　answer。
  Then　he　thought　of　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey　again；　and　tried　to　put　a　more　heroic　complexion　on　the　business。　But　of　an　early　morning；　on　an　empty　stomach　（as　with　characteristic　coarseness；　medical　men　put　it）　heroics　are　of　a　more　difficult　growth　than　by　moonlight。　Everything　had　seemed　exceptionally　fine　and　brilliant；　but　quite　natural；　the　evening　before。
  Mr。　Hoopdriver　reached　out　his　hand；　took　his　Norfolk　jacket；　laid　it　over　his　knees；　and　took　out　the　money　from　the　little　ticket　pocket。　〃　Fourteen　and　six…half；〃　he　said；　holding　the　coins　in　his　left　hand　and　stroking　his　chin　with　his　right。　He　verified；　by　patting；　the　presence　of　a　pocketbook　in　the　breast　pocket。　〃Five；　fourteen；　six…half；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃Left。〃
  With　the　Norfolk　jacket　still　on　his　knees；　he　plunged　into　another　silent　meditation。　〃That　wouldn't　matter；〃　he　said。　〃It's　the　bike's　the　bother。
  〃No　good　going　back　to　Bognor。
  〃Might　send　it　back　by　carrier；　of　course。　Thanking　him　for　the　loan。　Having　no　further　use〃　Mr。　Hoopdriver　chuckled　and　lapsed　into　the　silent　concoction　of　a　delightfully　impudent　letter。　〃Mr。　J。　Hoopdriver　presents　his　compliments。〃　But　the　grave　note　reasserted　itself。
  〃Might　trundle　back　there　in　an　hour；　of　course；　and　exchange　them。　MY　old　crock's　so　blessed　shabby。　He's　sure　to　be　spiteful　too。　Have　me　run　in；　perhaps。　Then　she'd　be　in　just　the　same　old　fix；　only　worse。　You　see；　I'm　her　Knight…errant。　It　complicates　things　so。〃
  His　eye；　wandering　loosely；　rested　on　the　sponge　bath。　〃What　the　juice　do　they　want　with　cream　pans　in　a　bedroom？〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　en　passant。
  〃Best　thing　we　can　do　is　to　set　out　of　here　as　soon　as　possible；　anyhow。　I　suppose　she'll　go　home　to　her　friends。　That　bicycle　is　a　juicy　nuisance；　anyhow。　Juicy　nuisance！〃
  He　jumped　to　his　feet　with　a　sudden　awakening　of　energy；　to　proceed　with　his　toilet。　Then　with　a　certain　horror　he　remembered　that　the　simple　necessaries　of　that　process　were　at　Bognor！〃Lord！〃　he　remarked；　and　whistled　silently　for　a　space。　〃Rummy　go！　profit　and　loss；　profit；　one　sister　with　bicycle　complete；　wot　offers？cheap　for　tooth　and　'air　brush；　vests；　night…shirt；　stockings；　and　sundries。
  〃Make　the　best　of　it；〃　and　presently；　when　it　came　to　hair…brushing；　he　had　to　smooth　his　troubled　locks　with　his　hands。　It　was　a　poor　result。　〃Sneak　out　and　get　a　shave；　I　suppose；　and　buy　a　brush　and　so　on。　Chink　again！　Beard　don't　show　much。〃
  He　ran　his　hand　over　his　chin；　looked　at　himself　steadfastly　for　some　time；　and　curled　his　insufficient　moustache　up　with　some　care。　Then　he　fell　a…meditating　on　his　beauty。　He　considered　himself；　three…quarter　face；　left　and　right。　An　expression　of　distaste　crept　over　his　features。　〃Looking　won't　alter　it；　Hoopdriver；〃　he　remarked。　〃You're　a　weedy　customer；　my　man。　Shoulders　narrow。　Skimpy；　anyhow。〃
  He　put　his　knuckles　on　the　toilet　table　and　regarded　himself　with　his　chin　lifted　in　the　air。　〃Good　Lord！〃　he　said。　〃WHAT　a　neck！　Wonder　why　I　got　such　a　thundering　lump　there。〃
  He　sat　down　on　the　bed；　his　eye　still　on　the　glass。　〃If　I'd　been　exercised　properly；　if　I'd　been　fed　reasonable；　if　I　hadn't　been　shoved　out　of　a　silly　school　into　a　silly　shopBut　there！　the　old　folks　didn't　know　no　better。　The　schoolmaster　ought　to　have。　But　he　didn't；　poor　old　fool！Still；　when　it　comes　to　meeting　a　girl　like　thisIt's　'ARD。
  〃I　wonder　what　Adam'd　think　of　meas　a　specimen。　Civilisation；　eigh？　Heir　of　the　ages！　I'm　nothing。　I　know　nothing。　I　can't　do　anythingsketch　a　bit。　Why　wasn't　I　made　an　artist？
  〃Beastly　cheap；　after　all；　this　suit　does　look；　in　the　sunshine。〃
  〃No　good；　Hoopdriver。　Anyhow；　you　don't　tell　yourself　any　lies　about　it。　Lovers　ain't　your　game；anyway。　But　there's　other　things　yet。　You　can　help　the　young　lady；　and　you　willI　suppose　she'll　be　going　homeAnd　that　business　of　the　bicycle's　to　see　to；　too；　my　man。　FORWARD；　Hoopdriver！　If　you　ain't　a　beauty；　that's　no　reason　why　you　should　stop　and　be　copped；　is　it？〃
  And　having　got　back　in　this　way　to　a　gloomy　kind　of　self…satisfaction；　he　had　another　attempt　at　his　hair　preparatory　to　leaving　his　room　and　hurrying　on　breakfast；　for　an　early　departure。　While　breakfast　was　preparing　he　wandered　out　into　South　Street　and　refurnished　himself　with　the　elements　of　luggage　again。　〃No　expense　to　be　spared；〃　he　murmured；　disgorging　the　half…sovereign。
  THE　DEPARTURE　FROM　CHICHESTER
  XXVIII
  He　caused　his　'sister'　to　be　called　repeatedly；　and　when　she　came　down；　explained　with　a　humorous　smile　his　legal　relationship　to　the　bicycle　in　the　yard。　〃Might　be　disagreeable；　y'　know。〃　His　anxiety　was　obvious　enough。　〃Very　well；〃　she　said　（quite　friendly）；　〃hurry　breakfast；　and　we'll　ride　out。　I　want　to　talk　things　over　with　you。〃　The　girl　seemed　more　beautiful　than　ever　after　the　night's　sleep；　her　hair　in　comely　dark　waves　from　her　forehead；　her　ungauntleted　finger…tips　pink　and　cool。　And　how　decided　she　was！　Breakfast　was　a　nervous　ceremony；　conversation　fraternal　but　thin；　the　waiter　overawed　him；　and　he　was　cowed　by　a　multiplicity　of　forks。　But　she　called　him　〃Chris。〃　They　discussed　their　route　over　his　sixpenny　county　map　for　the　sake　of　talking；　but　avoided　a　decision　in　the　presence　of　the　attendant。　The　five…pound　note　was　changed　for　the　bill；　and　through　Hoopdriver's　determination　to　be　quite　the　gentleman；　the　waiter　and　chambermaid　got　half　a　crown　each　and　the　ostler　a　florin。　〃'Olidays；〃　said　the　ostler　to　himself；　without　gratitude。　The　public　mounting　of　the　bicycles　in　the　street　was　a　moment　of　trepidation。　A　policeman　actually　stopped　and　watched　them　from　the　opposite　kerb。　Suppose　him　to　come　across　and　ask：　〃Is　that　your　bicycle；　sir？〃　Fight？　Or　drop　it　and　run？　It　was　a　time　of　bewildering　apprehension；　too；　going　through　the　streets　of　the　town；　so　that　a　milk　cart　barely　escaped　destruction　under　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　chancy　wheel。　That　recalled　him　to　a　sense　of　erratic　steering；　and　he　pulled　himself　together。　In　the　lanes　he　breathed　freer；　and　a　less　formal　conversation　presently　began。
  〃You've　ridden　out　of　Chichester　in　a　great　hurry；〃　said　Jessie。
  〃Well；　the　fact　of　it　is；　I'm　worried；　just　a　little　bit。　About　this　machine。〃
  〃Of　course；〃　she　said。　〃I　had　forgotten　that。　But　where　are　we　going？〃
  〃Jest　a　turning　or　two　more；　if　you　don't　mind；〃　said　Hoopdriver。
  〃Jest　a　mile　or　so。　I　have　to　think　of　you；　you　know。　I　should　feel　more　easy。　If　we　was　locked　up；　you