"At Mrs Farthing's; it's quite near here."

"Quite two miles from us," remarked Devitt, as if more pleased than
otherwise at the information.

"Quite," answered Mavis.

"Well, good-bye! Let me know if I can ever do any-thin' for you," he
cried from the fireplace.

Mavis went back to her work. She had an hour's liberty at one, which
she spent at Mrs Farthing's, who provided an appetising meal of
stewed steak and jam roly-poly pudding.

About three, Miss Toombs made tea on the office fire; she asked
Mavis if she would like to join the tea club.

"What's that?" asked Mavis.

"You pay fourpence a week for tea and biscuits. We take it in turn
to make the tea and wash up: profits equally divided at Christmas."

"I shall be delighted," said Mavis, as she produced her purse.

"Not till tomorrow. Today you're a guest," remarked Miss Toombs
listlessly.

About four, there was so little to do that Miss Toombs produced a
book, whilst Miss Hunter rather ostentatiously opened the Church
Times. Mavis scribbled on her blotting paper till Miss Toombs