July 17.--Billets arrived. Spoke to them about next Monday and canvas.
They seemed surprised. Strange how the military authorities decline to
take men into their confidence merely because they are privates. Let
them upstairs. They went (for first and last time) on tiptoe.

July 18.--Saw Q.M.S. Beddem in the town. Took shelter in the King's
Arms.

Jug. 3.--Went to Cornwall.

Aug. 31.--Returned. Billets received me very hospitably.

Sept. 4.--Private Budd, electrical engineer, dissatisfied with
appearance of bell-push in dining-room, altered it.

Sept. 5.--Bells out of order.

Sept. 6.--Private Merited, also an electrical engineer, helped Private
Budd to repair bells.

Sept. 7.--Private Budd helped Private Merited to repair bells.

Sept. 8.--Privates Budd and Merited helped each other to repair bells.

Sept. 9.--Sent to local tradesman to put my bells in order.

Sept. 15.--Told that Q.M.S. Beddem wished to see me. Saw C.O. first.
She thought he had possibly come to take some of the billets away.
Q.M.S. met my approach with a smile that re-minded me vaguely of picture-
postcards I had seen. Awfully sorry to trouble me, but Private Montease,