That was a week ago. Yesterday I paid a flying visit to the country
to see how things were going and how many people had been to view the
place; and my fury increased when, after again and for the fiftieth
time pointing out to the gardener the lack of this and that vegetable,
he was more than normally smiling and silent and dense and impenitent.

"You say here," he said at last, pulling the description of the house
from his pocket and pointing to the words with a thumb as massive as
it is dingy and as dingy as it is massive--"you say here 'well-stocked
kitchen garden.'" _You!_

And now I understand better the phrases "agents for good" and "agents
for evil."

* * * * *

[Illustration: PORTRAIT OF MR. ----, WHO HAD NO IDEA, WHEN HE FLED
FROM LONDON TO ESCAPE AIR-RAIDS AND TOOK A THREE YEARS' LEASE NEAR
MAIDENHEAD, THAT THE WAR WOULD BE OVER SO SOON.]

* * * * *

From an official circular:--

"If the man in question happens to be a seaman, he will be
included on A.F.Z.8 in the figures appearing in the square of
intersection between the horizontal column opposite Industrial
Group 2 and the vertical column for Dispersal Area Ib."