siness. "I want," said I, "a back axle-shaft, a
head-light, a wind-screen and some mud-guards. What's yours?"

"I could do with a spare wheel-holder, a horn, a couple of yards of
foot-board," he said. "Two shock-absorbers and at least one wheel I must
have."

A little discussion proved that between us we could put up a very decent
car. The only difficulty arose from a doubt as to what was to happen
when we went out in it. It would still be a two-seater, and neither of
our chauffeurs was small enough to be carried in the tool-box. Who was
going to drive, who was going to sit by and, when occasion demanded,
step out and do the dirty work? Neither of us seeing his way to give in
on these points, we had to think of some other solution.

"You mentioned the workshops just now," I said. "Were you going on to
say that the officer in charge told you of another small car which was
in trouble?"

"He did," said Signals.

"Same here," said I. "Did he then recommend you to get what you wanted
off that other car?"

"He did," said Signals.

"Same here," said I. "And did you also ascertain that this officer in
charge possesses a small car of his own rich in standard parts?"

"I did," said Signals.

"Same here," said I. "Let us go out and look for that----"

"Officer in charge," said Signals.

"No," said I, "his car." I felt that we were justified, in the
circumstances, in dividing it between us.

But there is no limit to these officers in charge of workshops. We had
the greatest difficulty in finding his car at all, and, when we did, it
had the appearance of being deliberately concealed. Worse still; when we
found the car we found also a sentry standing over it, with rifle and
fixed bayonet. Though we took this to be a direct insult to ourselves,
we were too proud to go and expostulate with the officer himself about
it.

Yours ever, Henry.

* * * * *

[Illustration: Unfortunate position of once popular Berlin naval battle
artist, whose occupation has vanished through his having rashly sunk the
entire British Fleet at an early stage of the war.]

* * * * *

[Illustration: The conscientious special.]

[Illustration: the ingenious bank manager.]

[Illustration: and the cautious burglar.]

[Illustration: who lacked staying power.]

* * * * *

A LETTER.

(From Captain Claude Seaforth to a novelist friend.)

MY DEAR MA