I took him into the back kitchen, where, so far as was possible without soda and proper tools, he cleaned himself, and sent him home.
The bicycle I put into a cab and took round to the nearest repairing shop.

The foreman of the works came up and looked at it.
"What do you want me to do with that ?" said he.
"I want you," I said, "so far as is possible, to restore it." "It's a bit far gone," said he; "but I'll do my best." He did his best, which came to two pounds ten.

But it was never the same machine again; and at the end of the season I left it in an agent's hands to sell.

I wished to deceive nobody; I instructed the man to advertise it as a last year's machine.

The agent advised me not to mention any date.