There was the Slowcoach right enough, with its white blinds glimmering, and
he could hear Moses munching close by; but there was no tent, and
apparently no Diogenes.
Robert was not a timid boy, but the lateness of the hour and the loneliness
of the place and this extraordinary occurrence affected his nerves, so that
he suddenly had a panic, and, running up the steps, he beat on the
caravan-door as if wolves were after him.
"Hullo! hullo!" cried a gruff voice that certainly did not belong to any of
the girls. "What the dickens do you want?"
Robert nearly fell off the steps in his surprise. "Please," he said, "I
want the Slowcoach."
For answer the door opened, and a big head and beard and a pyjama arm were
pushed out.
"Slowcoach?" the head said. "What Slowcoach? There's no Slowcoach here."
"The Slowcoach is the name of our caravan," said Robert.
"Oh, it is? " said the head. "Then it's over there. I saw it as I came in.
This is the Snail."
"Thank you very much," said Robert, who had quite recovered his composure.
"How late are you going to stay here in the morning?"
"I don't know," said the head, yawning vastly. "It depends on the country.
I shan't go till after breakfast, anyhow.
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