diminutive tin pail. How's that?"

"Lovely, Punch! But where does Toby dear come in?"

At the mention of his name the terrier rose and went to her.
His mistress stroked his soft head.

"In the background," said I. " Or the offing (nautical). I
don't think he'd better act. Let him be stage-door-keeper."

"All right. Now open the puppet-box."

It was a nice set of puppets, and they were very simple to
manipulate. They fitted easily on to the hand, the forefinger
controlling the head, and the thumb and second finger the arms.
The old fellow's cudgel was a dream.

We decided that I had better stick to Punch and Punch alone.
For the others she would be answerable.

After rehearsing for half an hour, we stopped for breakfast. In
the absence of cutlery, it was a ragged meal, but what mattered
that? We were for letting the world slip- we should ne'er be
younger.

People were stirring now. Carts rumbled in the distance, and
cars sang past on the long, white road. Presently came one that
slowed and slowed and stopped.

It was unfortunate that, but a moment before, I should have