G. A. Birmingham

“ But on a cycling tour certain liberties are permissible, and there was no one, except Edie, to see him. A minute later he took the pipe out of his mouth and put it into his pocket. As a dean he was bound to uphold the reputation of the clergy for propriety of behaviour, and there was a man coming down the hill. The dean gazed at him with some astonishment. He was unusually tall, very thin, and, though plainly quite young, wore a beard. He was running down the hill, dragging a bicycle with him. This was curious. If the man were in a hurry, why did he not ride the bicycle? ”

“ Knee breeches, buttoning tightly, and black cloth gaiters are not the best wear in the world for cycling. It was the first day of a carefully planned tour, and the dean was already regretting that he had undertaken it. He blamed himself for not staying quietly at home. Be blamed Edie for riding faster than any lady ought to ride. He blamed his sister for sending this very inconvenient niece to spend a summer holiday with him. ”

“ But under the circumstances I am sure, sir, that you will understand——"
"My niece took the road to Maam, didn't she?" said the dean to the constable.
"And it turns out, I needn't have gone," said Eusebius, "for the bag was at Letterfrack all the time."
The dean had one foot on the step of his bicycle and was hopping rapidly along the road. He always had a difficulty in mounting.
"My wife rode after me," said Eusebius, raising his voice, "to tell me that the bag was found shortly after I left Letterfrack. Please allow me to apologise. Why are you in such a hurry? ”

“ A heavy vehicle, pushing two jaded horses in front of it, came creaking and groaning down the hill. A "shoe" brake, pressing hard against one of the back wheels, gave a kind of hoarse shriek now and then. ”

“ He dismounted and laid his bicycle on the side of the road. He had already ridden much further than he wanted to. The duties of a dean are not a good preparation for a cycling tour in company with an energetic girl of eighteen years old. ”