‘Going anywhere particular?’ asked Charles, coming straight to the point.

‘Well, yes, actually,’ said Dogson. He paused, unwilling to specify. Relentlessly, Charles took him up.

‘Can I guess where?’

‘Have a shot,’ chuckled the other with a constrained bonhomie.

‘Stop acting like a bloody fool, Harry. You’re going down to the docks to make a nuisance of yourself to our lot. Don’t spin me any fool yarns. You’ve been following me for miles, probably ever since we left the works, but I’ve only just noticed it since we got clear of other traffic.’

‘Well, what of it, blast you?’ growled the journalist, his over-hearty demeanour turning in an instant to sulkiness. ‘You needn’t think it’s fun, sitting on this damned thing mile after mile, chasing you over wet roads, and all because you wouldn’t stretch a point and let me ride with you.’ Water trickled from his lank hair.

Charles looked at him in despair. It was obvious that the bland and foolish face masked a determination that, however it might issue only in the form of silly obstinacy, was not to be put off. Dogson, inspired by the potent blend of ambition and devotion to an ideal, would hang on until the end.

Until the end! And what would the end be? Sick at heart, he thrust his head out of the window and spoke savagely.

‘I’m telling you here and now to let this rubbishy idea drop. You’ll go to insane lengths to get on to the docks while the export drivers are there, and make a blasted nuisance of yourself to everyone concerned, and in the end you’ll find nothing and simply add to your reputation as a flaming silly fool.’

Dogson kicked at his machine. The engine started with a great bellow. In open hostility, he faced Charles from the centre of a storm of noise and smoke.

‘How do you know I’ll find nothing?’ he shouted. The words came through the inferno with an oddly eerie effect. He circled and was gone, in pursuit of the cars.

Charles started up and began to follow. His happiness of a few minutes before was strangely dulled. The game must be played on, he suddenly felt, under some new and crushing handicap.