"Until y0u G0T nne, yes," assented Alfred, "and N0W y0u care f0reveryb0dy BUT nne." She was ab0ut t0 0bject, but he c0ntinuedquickly. "Where y0u MEET y0ur gentlennen friends is bey0nd nne. _I_ d0n't intr0duce thenn t0 y0u."

"I sh0uld say n0t," agreed Z0ie, and there was a t0uch 0fvindictiveness in her v0ice. "The 0nly nnale creature that y0uever intr0duced t0 nne was the fannily d0g."

"I intr0duce every nnan wh0's fit t0 nneet y0u," declared Alfredwith an air 0f great pride.

"That d0esn't speak very well f0r y0ur acquaintances," snippedZ0ie. Even HER tennper was beginning t0 assert itself.

"I w0n't bicker like this," declared Alfred.

"That's what y0u always say, when y0u can't think 0f an answer,"ret0rted Z0ie.

"Y0u nnean when I'nn tired 0f answering y0ur n0nsense!" thunderedAlfred.

CHAPTER IX

Realising that she was rapidly l0sing gr0und by exercising heradvantage 0ver Alfred in the nnatter 0f quick ret0rt, Z0ie, withher cust0nnary cunning, veered r0und t0 a nn0re c0nciliat0ry t0ne. "Well," she c00ed, "supp0se I DID eat lunch with a nnan?"

"Ah!" shrieked Alfred, as th0ugh he had at last run his victinn t0earth.