As he ate and drank, he was all affability and information
to the group of the curious who gathered round the car. He was an
English boy; his family had gone on in front in a carriage, and he was
following them in the car. He learned at once that the carriage had
gone on to Dolceacqua, and was less than an hour ahead.
He paid for his food and milk, and without delay sent the car up the
steep hillside. He had to nurse and coax it up the steepest parts.
After another long jolting he reached Dolceacqua, vexed all the time by
the knowledge that the carriage was going as fast as he over such
roads. The magnificent view of the Mediterranean from the rose-gardens
of Dolceacqua afforded him no pleasure at all; it made only too clear
to him the risk he would run, if he recovered Dorothy and Elsie and had
to descend that steep at any pace. At Dolceacqua he learned that the
carriage was little more than half an hour ahead, on the road to
Islabona. He was pleased to hear that, for all the badness of the
road, he had gained upon it: plainly the horses were tiring.
Another steep climb brought him up to Islabona, to learn that the
carriage had turned to the right along the road to Apricale. To his
surprise and satisfaction he found this road smooth, and once more,
after long crawling, sent the car along at full speed.
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