into the old comfortable groove.

The arch occupied their thoughts. After supper, as they sat and smoked,
their talk ran on it: on details of its construction; on the chances
(exiguous indeed!) of its being eclipsed by rivals in the town, some in
course of construction, a few as yet existent only in the promises of
rumour.

Cai would say, "I hear the Dunstans are makin' great preparations in
their back-yard. They mean to bring their show out at the last moment,
and step it in barrels."

"I don't believe in barrels," 'Bias would respond. "Come a breeze o'
wind, where are you? Come a strong breeze, and over you go, endangerin'
life. It ought to be forbidden."

"No chance of a breeze, though." Cai had been studying the glass closely
all the week.

"Fog, more like. 'Tis the time o' the year for fogs."

Other matters they discussed more desultorily; meetings of the
Procession Committee, of the Luncheon Committee (all the parish was to
feast together), of the Tree-planting Committee, of the Tea Committee;
the cost of the mugs and the medals for the children, the latest returns
handed in by Mr Benny, who had undertaken the task of calling on every
householder, poor or rich, and collecting donations. But to the arch
their talk recurred.

--And rightly: for in the arch they were building better than they knew.
In it, though unaware (being simple men), they were rebuilding
friendship.

By Saturday evening the scaffolding was complete, firmly planted, firmly
nailed, firmly clasped together by rope--in sailors' hitches such as do
not slip. They viewed it, approved it, and soberly, having gathered up
tools, went in to supper. On Sunday they attended morning service in
church, and oh! the glow in their hearts when, in place of the usual
voluntary, the organ rolled out the first bars of "God Save the Queen"
and all the worshippers sprang to their feet together!

On Monday the town awoke to the rumbling of waggons. They came in from
the plantations where since the early June daybreak Squire Willyams's
foresters and gardeners had been cutting young larches, firs, laurels,
aucubas. The waggons halted at every door and each householder took as
much as he required. So, all that day, Cai and 'Bias packed their arch
with evergreens; until at five o'clock Mr Philp, happening along, could
find no chink anywhere in its solid verdure. He called his
congratulations up to them as, high on ladders, they affixed flags to
th