Mr. Lenox and Mr. Scott were both there in time to see the start of the
Slowcoach, as they had decided to call it. Also present at the start was
the greater part of adult Chiswick and all its children, who filled the
street opposite "The Gables" and cheered. Kink accepted their enthusiasm
with calm, but as he said afterwards to Collins, "I felt like the Prince of
Wales and all the royal family."
Both Mr. Scott and Mr. Lenox brought contributions to the Slowcoach's
stores. Mr. Scott's was a large bundle of firelighters and twelve dozen
boxes of matches. "You can't have too many matches," he said. Mr. Lenox's
was ointment for blisters.
Uncle Christopher was also there to see the start, and he brought with him
an envelope. "This envelope," he said, "is not to be opened unless you're
in any very serious difficulty. Then open it."
And so, in a scene of wild excitement, Kink cracked his whip, Moses
strained at the collar, the Slowcoach creaked heavily out of the yard, and
its historic journey was begun.
CHAPTER 7: MR. LENOX'S YOUNG BROTHER
Mr. Lenox's young brother met the party on the Oxford platform. He was
accompanied by two of his friends, who were dressed in grey flannels and
straw hats, and were smoking very large and beautiful pipes.
Pages:
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61