right here in this district that could show 'em in ten minutes just
how to win the war. You'd be surprised to know how many great generals
we have running two by four farms and choppin' wood for a livin' up
here. And there are fellers settin' right in there now that never saw
a body of water bigger'n Plum Pond, an' every blamed one of 'em knows
more'n the whole British navy about ketchin' submarines. The quickest
way to end the war, says Jim Roudebush,--one of our leadin' ice-
cutters,--is for the British navy to bombard Berlin from both sides,
an' he don't see why in thunder they've never thought of it. I suppose
you've travelled right smart in Europe?"

"Quite a bit, Mr. Jones."

"Any partic'lar part?"

"No," said Barnes, suddenly divining that he was being "pumped." "One
end to the other, you might say."

"What about them countries down around Bulgaria and Roumania? I've
been considerable interested in what's going to become of them if
Germany gets licked. What do they get out of it, either way?"

Barnes spent the next ten minutes expatiating upon the future of the
Balkan states. Jones had little to say. He was interested, and drank
in all the information that Barnes had to impart. He puffed at his
pipe, nodded his head from time to time, and occasionally put a
leading question. And quite as abruptly as he introduced the topic he
changed it.

"Not many automobiles up here at this time 'o the year," he said. "I