of this first
book is peculiar; and, to tell it in approved story form, I must request
the reader to come back two years with me.

[Illustration: "LOOKING FOR TOOLE."]

One fine day, when I was sixteen, I was wandering about the Ramsgate
sands looking for Toole. I did not really expect to see him, and I had
no reason to believe he was in Ramsgate, but I thought if providence
were kind to him it might throw him in my way. I wanted to do him a good
turn. I had written a three-act farcical comedy at the request of an
amateur dramatic club. I had written out all the parts, and I think
there were rehearsals. But the play was never produced. In the light of
after knowledge I suspect some of those actors must have been of quite
professional calibre. You understand, therefore, why my thoughts turned
to Toole. But I could not find Toole. Instead, I found on the sands a
page of a paper called _Society_. It is still running merrily at a
penny, but at that time it had also a Saturday edition at threepence. On
this page was a great prize-competition scheme, as well as details of a
regular weekly competition. The competitions in those days were always
literary and intellectual, but then popular education had not made such
strides as to-day.

I sat down on the spot, and wrote something which took a prize in the
weekly competition. This emboldened me to enter for the great stakes.

[Illustration: "I SAT DOWN AND WROTE SOMETHING."]

There were various events. I resolved to enter for two. One was a short
novel, and the other a comedietta. The "L5 humorous story" competition I
did not go in for; but when the last day of sending in MSS. for that
had passed, I reproached myself with not having despatched one of my
manuscripts. Modesty had prevented me sending in old work, as I felt
assured it would stand no chance, but when it was too late I was annoyed
with myself for having thrown away a possibility. After all I could have
lost nothing. Then I discovered that I had mistaken the last date, and
that there was still a day. In the joyful reaction I selected a story
called "Professor Grimmer," and sent it in. Judge of my amazement when
this got the prize (L5), and was published in serial form, running
through three numbers of _Society_. Last year, at a press dinner, I
found myself next to Mr. Arthur Goddard, who told me he had acted as
Competition Editor, and that quite a number of now well-known people had
taken part in these admirable c