Thousand cubic feet smoke per cubic inch. Not a germ could live--not
a germ, Y' Excellency!'

But His Excellency had fled, and was coughing at the foot of the
stairs, while all Peterhoff hummed like a hive. Red Lancers came in,
and the head Chaprassi who speaks English came in, and mace-bearers
came in, and ladies ran downstairs screaming, 'Fire'; for the smoke
was drifting through the house and oozing out of the windows, and
bellying along the verandahs, and wreathing and writhing across the
gardens. No one could enter the room where Mellish was lecturing on
his Fumigatory till that unspeakable powder had burned itself out.

Then an Aide-de-Camp, who desired the V.C., rushed through the
rolling clouds and hauled Mellish into the hall. The Viceroy was
prostrate with laughter, and could only waggle his hands feebly at
Mellish, who was shaking a fresh bagful of powder at him.

'Glorious! Glorious!' sobbed His Excellency. 'Not a germ, as you
justly observe, could exist! I can swear it. A magnificent success!'

Then he laughed till the tears came, and Wonder, who had caught the
real Mellishe snorting on the Mall, entered and was deeply shocked at
the scene. But the Viceroy was delighted, because he saw that Wonder
would presently depart. Mellish with the Fumigatory was also pleased,
for he felt that he had smashed the Simla Medical 'Ring.'

Few men could tell a story like His Excellency when he took the
trouble, and his account of 'my dear, good Wonder's friend with the
powder' went the round of Simla, and flippant folk made Wonder
unhappy by their remarks.

But His Excellency told the tale once too often--for Wonder. As he
meant to do. It was at a Seepee Picnic. Wonder was sitting just
behind the Viceroy.

'And I really thought for a moment,' wound up His Excellency, 'that
my dear, good Wonder had hired an assassin to clear his way to the
throne!'

Every one laughed; but there was a delicate sub-tinkle in the
Viceroy's tone which Wonder understood. He found that his health was
giving way; and the Viceroy allowed him to go, and presented him with
a flaming 'character' for use at Home among big people.

'My fault entirely,' said His Excellency, in after seasons, with a
twinkle in his eye. 'My inconsistency must always have been
distasteful to such a masterly man.'

'TIGER-TIGER!'

What of the hunting, hunter bold?
_Brother, the watch was long and cold_.
What of the quarry ye w