, strong house. Why,
I knew a fellow build one for L1,500. Just what you want. Then, there's
the ground--say at another two. And there you are. Four thousand
altogether. Well, you'd pay 'em a mere rent for that, and so much tacked
on, which would, each time, reduce the principal. And when you pay your
last year of rent and interest, it ought to have come down to a
five-pound note."

This is admirable. What a glorious society is the Building Society ...
_if_ Cazell is only right.

I will draw out plans at once.

Will he come down with me, somewhere, and choose the land?

"Certainly. Why not try Kent?" he asks. I have no objection to Kent.
"But," I suggest, "wouldn't it be better, first, to settle the sort of
thing wanted?"

_Happy Thought._--Put it down on paper.

A billiard-room, _absolute necessity_.

Stables. _Do._

"Bath-room," adds Milburd, to whom, on his accidentally looking in, we
appeal for assistance.

[Illustration: MILBURD.]

_Happy Thought._--"While I _am_ about it" (as Milburd says), "why not a
Turkish bath?" In the house. Excellent!

What after this?

Milburd suggests smoking-room, and library. Yes. That's all.

Not _all_: Milburd thinks that a Racquet Court wouldn't be bad, and
_while I am about it_, it would be scarcely any more expense, to have a
Tennis Court; and, by the way, a positive saving to utilise the outside
walls of both, for Fives.

_Query._ Won't this cost too much?

"The question is," says Boodels (he has been recently improving his own
house), "What is your limit?"

"No, I argue, let's see what an imaginary house will cost, and then
_I'll have so much of it as I want_. Say," I put it, "a house is to cost
two thousand----"

"Can't be done for the money," says Boodels, positively.

This is rather damping, but, on consideration, it's just what Boodels
_would_ say in anybody's case, except his own.

[Illustration: BOODELS OF BOODELS.]

I pass over his opinion and continue.

"For argument's sake, let's say the house costs four thousand----" (This
I feel sounds very pleasant, but what will the Building Society say, and
how about the security? These, however, are details for subsequent
consideration. One thing at a time: and these extras rather hamper one's
ideas. So I say L4,000, and leave it at that.)

"More," says Boodels, "but you _might_ do it for that."

I repeat "For argument's sake." Formula admitted.

Wel