A LITTLE ACCIDENT - WHILE CYCLING

Haris made much trouble for himself one summer while he was cycling with wife through Holland. His wife sat on the tandem behind him. The roads were stony and the machine jumped a good deal.

"Sit tight," said Harris without turning his head. But Mrs. Harris thought he said "Jump off." Why she thought he had said "Jump off when he said "Sit tight" neither of them can explain. She did jump off, while Harris pedalled away, thinking she was still behind him. Having jumped off, she thought he was riding up the hill merely to show off, and that he would get off on the top of the hill and wait for her.

But nothing of the kind happened. Harris disappeared down the other side of the hill. He continued his ride with much enjoyment. He talked to what he thought was his wife. He told her not to be afraid and he would show her how fast he could go. The bicycle jumped over the road. Old people stood and looked at him, the children cheered him. Having gone on in this way for about five miles he began to feel that something was wrong. Stretching out his hand behind him he felt there was nothing behind him but space. He jumped, or rather fell off, and looked back up the road, nobody was there. Having got on the bicycle again and rode back up the hill, he asked people he met on the road if they had seen his wife. They had not seen her. One man suggested that he should ride to the police station at the next town. The police gave him a paper, and told him to write down a full description of his wife, together with details of when and where he had lost her. He did not know when or where he had lost her, and he said so.

The police looked suspicious. However, they promised to look for her, and in the evening they brought her to him. The meeting of Harris with his wife was not a tender one. As she was not a good actress, Mrs. Harris always had great difficulty in controlling her feelings. But at that time, she frankly admitted that she made no attempt to hide them.

1. When did Harris make much trouble for himself?

2. What words did Mrs. Harris take for "Jump off?

3. Why did Harris pedal away, when his wife jumped off?

4. Why didn't his wife shout to him?

5. How did he continue his ride?

6. How soon did he understand that there was something wrong?

7. How did Harris look for his wife?

8. Why did the police look suspicious?

9. Why wasn't the meeting of Harris with his wife tender?

10. What great difficulty did Mrs. Harris always have?

11. Did Mrs. Harris try to hide her feelings?