I don't
know, now, what we did when we found the boat had gone without us, but
we made up our minds to paint the town red. So we got landed in the
police's hands for the night and locked up."
"Oh Louis!"
"It was a great game! The funny old magistrate next morning was as
solemn as a judge. He read us a lecture about upholding the prestige of
the Motherland in a new country. Then he made us promise him faithfully
not to have another drink as long as we were in the state of Victoria.
We promised right enough, and kept it--because we knew we were leaving
Victoria in a few hours. Ole Fred was as solemn as the judge himself
about it. But when we got to Albury--that's on the borders, you know--my
hat, how we mopped it! I haven't got over it yet. But after to-day I'm
on the water-wagon, Marcella. Lord, here's the marriage shop!"
It looked like a shop, with green wire shades over the glass windows,
not at all a terrifying place. But Louis took off his hat, mopped his
forehead and looked at her desperately.
"Look here, old girl, I shall never get through this without a
whisky-and-soda. I'm a stammering bundle of nerves. I'll never get our
names down right unless I have a drink to give me a bit of Dutch
courage. If it hadn't been for that Melbourne madness I'd have been all
right. But look at me"--and he held out a trembling hand.
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