duced hens to become tenants.

The hardest work had been the fixing of the wire-netting. This was the
department of the Hired Man and myself, Ukridge holding himself proudly
aloof. While Beale and I worked ourselves to a fever in the sun, the
senior partner of the firm sat on a deck-chair in the shade, offering
not unkindly criticism and advice and from time to time abusing his
creditors, who were numerous. For we had hardly been in residence a day
before he began to order in a vast supply of necessary and unnecessary
things, all on credit. Some he got from the village, others from
neighbouring towns. Axminster he laid heavily under contribution. He
even went as far afield as Dorchester. He had a persuasive way with
him, and the tradesmen seemed to treat him like a favourite son. The
things began to pour in from all sides,--groceries, whisky, a piano, a
gramophone, pictures. Also cigars in great profusion. He was not one of
those men who want but little here below.

As regards the financial side of these transactions, his method was
simple and masterly. If a tradesman suggested that a small cheque on
account would not be taken amiss, as one or two sordid fellows did, he
became pathetic.

"Confound it, sir," he would say with tears in his voice, laying a hand
on the man's shoulders in a wounded way, "it's a trifle hard, when a
gentleman comes to settle in your neighbourhood, that you should dun
him for money before he has got the preliminary expenses about the
house off his back." This sounded well, and suggested the disbursement
of huge sums for rent. The fact that the house had been lent him rent
free was kept with some care in the background. Having weakened the man
with pathos, he would strike a sterner note. "A little more of this,"
he would go on, "and I'll close my account. Why, damme, in all my
experience I've never heard anything like it!" Upon which the man would
apologise, and go away, forgiven, with a large order for more goods.

By these statesmanlike methods he had certainly made the place very
comfortable. I suppose we all realised that the things would have to be
paid for some day, but the thought did not worry us.

"Pay?" bellowed Ukridge on the only occasion when I ventured to bring
up the unpleasant topic, "of course we shall pay. Why not? I don't like
to see this faint-hearted spirit in you, old horse. The money isn't
coming in yet, I admit, but we must give it time. Soon we shall be
turning over