Nicky-Nan, Reservist

a slice of bacon, and recovered somewhat from his first alarm (as even so frugal a meal will put courage into a man), ventured to the porch again for a loo

s and persons; and so we come down to politics, peace and war, the mann

sky, prolonged study of which was apt to induce a crick in the neck. To be sure, certain winds could be recognised by their voices: a southerly one of any consequence announced itself by a cu

School. There would be waggons waiting to convey them up-inland to Squire Tresawna's pleasure-grounds-to high shaven lawns whereon, for once in the year, they could enjoy themselves running about upon the level. (In Polpier, as any mother there will tell you, a boy has to wear out his exuberance mostly on the seat of his breeches and bring it to a check by digging in his heels somewhere. And the wastage at these particular points of his tailoring persists when he grows up to manhood; for a crabber sits much on the thwart of a boat and drives with his he

or children- stood and eyed the weather with approval,

ady? What a whirl one does live in!-and if there's

the childr

coaxed her into her best things. It sobers her you can't think. She'll look after 'Biades an' see that

e Treat yourself, ma'am

on but idiomatically. "No, I'm but goin' up to see 'em off decent. But I wonder at y

uefully and truthfully, with a downward glance,

. . and you with t

ody as has been these

to take a stroll bef

rget to lock

keys of the main door.) He watched the good woman as she

icin' it till they're gone." All the children had departed-the happy little Wesleyans to climb on board the waggons, the small Church of England minority to watch them, and solace their envy with expectation of their own Treat, a more select one, promised for this-day-fortnight. Then would be their turn, and some people would live to be

the men whom the War had not claimed had tramped it over to Troy, which six weeks ago-and long before the idea of a E

ll about him. But down by the Quay-head he came in sight of Policeman Rat-it-all (so na

might have the ejectment order in his pocket-would, if not already furnished with it, almost certainly know about it. On the other hand there was a chance-it might be worth while-to discover how m

Which, for settled weather, I'd rather it took off-shore a bit later

l withdrew his gaze

nt of the elements, for my part. Never did; and now never

Nan suspiciously.

place in particular. There's a street, of course, . . . and there's the prison, and the barracks, and an asylum w

Nan; that being the only feature of Bodm

ot often; not very often; once in a while, as you might say. There's a monument, too,-upon a hill they call the Beacon. I'm very fond

ked Nicky-Nan, a

on me suddent, and what do you catch me doin'? You catches me,"-here his voice became impressive-"you catches me lookin' up

believe 'ee. 'Tisn' a poi

e? Or is it I was wastin' the day in idleness, same as some persons I could mention in the Force if there wasn' such a

after a painful effort at guessing. "It couldn

orward and touched him on th

!" he said m

E

p-a-

u mean them German balloon things

dded Rat-it-all. "

seen any?" Nicky-Nan l

about-not up to the present. But these are times when a man must keep his eyes liftin' if

s the expression

nd you, I'm not sayin' anything against it-you don't reelise things: yo

u d

h that except for the Yeomanry (which is black, or dark blue, I forget which), and that's how you know

n' want to enlist

nd heave you over the Quay here. Yes, yes, I am wonderfully well made! And on top of that, Mother picked up some nonsense against soldiering off a speaker at a Pleasant Sunday Afternoon. There was nothing for it but the Force. So here I

and changed the

" he said pleasantly. "But I wonder-with nothing else doin', and on a

igsplaining to you," he went on as one who reasons patiently with an infant

the rights an' wrongs o' warfar

Policeman Rat-it-al

t," he added, waggi

nd I quite understand y

about that Ej

ee?" he twittered. "Don't tell me that Pamphlett has got 'em to send it

Well, I may, or I mayn't; but anyways I've followed the case before Petty Sessions; and if you haven't a leg

at if I

mself to a tolerant smile and gazed down on his mighty

k with his communicated fury. "Try it-try it-try

of rock and pass the back of his hand across his eyes, that at first were bloodshot with fury. He had a great desire to kill Policeman Rat-it-all. As his

the sleep of exhaustion, and lay like a log in his mother's arms. 'Bert, for no other reason than that he had tired himself out, was sulky and

e in the eyes of all. When it got to a certain point I pretended to have no connection with him. There was nothing else to do. Then he felt sorry and wanted to hug me in front of everybody. . . . Oh, thank you . . . yes, I've enjoyed myself very much! Mrs Tresawna wears a toque: but I suppose that when you ge

ot to sleep. For a while he lay without extinguishing the candle-his last candle. He had measured it carefully, and it r

They had a few more days to abide, let Pamphlett's men be never so sharp: but this was his last night under them. His

on the edge of to-morrow; and for that reason the nigh

If, on the other hand, Government claimed him for a deserter, still Government would have to fetch a cart to convey him to jail: his leg would not allow him to walk. Of wealth and goods God Almighty had alr

the King-now all gone to decay in churchyard, all as cold as homeless fellows. The Nanjivells had been such a family, and now-what would his poor old mother think of this for an end? Yet it was the general fate. Pushing men, your Pa

lift the coffin in and out of the window, because of that twist in the stairs. There wasn't that difficulty with people's coming into the world. No doubt in its time this room must have seen a mort of births too. . . . And the children? All gone, the same way!

to a short inch, hastily blew it out. Almost in the act of relaxing the elbow

At about two in the morning he sat bolt upright in his bed. For twenty minutes or so

earing down the house above his head! . . . Well, he would go down with the house. Pamphlett, or Governm

. Only by uncovering his last shelter should they discov

he well at his feet: lifted one of the loose bottom-boards, and, holding himself

firm. He supposed it to be a lower ceiling of the hole, and, afte

crook of his elbow caught across the scurtain (shooting darts as of fire up the jarred funny-bone), he had made a part of the avalanche, the noise of which was enough

f back and on to the bedroom floor again. The cascade of plaster, timber, mas

e his leg wrung him with torture at ever

te easily. Then of a sudden it jammed: but it left an aperture through

ad broken through it and lay spread, fan-shaped, on the solid floor at his f

l! Is that M

, ma

t has ha

answered Nicky-Nan, gasping: for the heap of dust and mo

rrible. I-I thought f

e in Mrs Penh

icky-Nan, commanding his voice. "A rush of soot down the

' easily alarmed-left alo

resolutely closed the door and lift

tering, shot up one last flame