er a dangerous game, isn't it?" observed _Mr. Punch_. "You'll
have to fall in next, and TOMMY will inspect you, and give you a
couple of days' extra drill for not having cleaned your rifle!"

"Well, if I don't look after my arms, I shall have merited the
punishment; and, after all, it will only be a case of turn and
turn about," was the reply. Then the A.D.C. added, "Hang me, too, I
believe, with all we fellows have to do nowadays, that if we _did_
change with TOMMY ATKINS, we, and not he, would have the best of the
bargain!"

[Illustration]

Leaving the Soldiers' Club, _Mr. Punch_ and Father TIME continued
their journey. They had not proceeded far, when the A.D.C. invited
them to enter a building known as the Museum.

"It really is a most useful and interesting institution," said the
officer of the Planet Mars. "Here, you see, we have portrait models of
the officer of the past and present. In the past, you will notice, he
sacrificed everything to athletic sports--if he could fence, shoot,
hunt, and play cricket, polo, and football, he was quite satisfied.
His successor of to-day devotes all his time to study. He must master
the higher branches of mathematics before he is considered fit to
inspect the rear-rank of a company, and know the modern languages
before he can be entrusted with the command of a left half-battalion.
Here again we have the uniform of an officer in peace and war--swagger
and gold lace on the one side, and stern simplicity and kharki on the
other."

In another room _Mr. Punch_ and Father TIME discovered that everyone
was fast asleep. There was a Cabinet Minister supported by two minor
officials--all three of them absolutely unconscious. There were
any number of Generals decorated from belt to neck--any quantity
of higher-grade clerks--one and all slumbering: "This is called the
Intelligence Department of the Army," explained the A.D.C. "You have
nothing like it in England?"

"Nothing!" returned _Mr. Punch_, as he disappeared.

* * * * *

VISIT TO MERCURY.

[Illustration]

Mr. Punch and Father Time were once again whirling on their way
through boundless space.

They were approaching their next destination, and the dark globe
of the planet had just come into view on the horizon. Rapidly it
increased in size as they neared it, and the seas and continents could
be easily traced.

"Dear me?" exclaimed _Mr. Punch_. "Why, I declare if there is not
something