e British tars!

Now, it must not be supposed that this was the end of Frank's career.
In truth, it was only the beginning of it, for Frank Willders was one of
those men who know how to make a good use of money.

His first proceeding after the honeymoon was to take a small farm in the
suburbs of London. He had a tendency for farming, and he resolved at
least to play at it if he could make nothing by it. There was a small
cottage on the farm, not far from the dwelling-house. This was rented
by Willie, and into it he afterwards introduced Ziza Cattley as Mrs
William Willders. The widow inhabited another small cottage not a
hundred yards distant from it, but she saw little of her own home except
at night, being constrained to spend most of her days with one or other
of her "boys."

As the farm was near a railway station, Willie went to town every
morning to business--Saturdays and Sundays excepted--and returned every
evening. His business prospered and so did Mr Tippet's. That
eccentric old gentleman had, like Mr Auberly, been ruined by the great
fire, but he did not care--so he said--because the _other_ business kept
him going! He was not aware that Willie's engineering powers turned in
all the money of that other business, and Willie took care never to
enlighten him, but helped him as of old in planning, inventing, and
discovering, to the end of his days.

There was one grand feature which Frank introduced into his suburban
establishment which we must not omit to mention. This was a new patent
steam fire-engine. He got it not only for the protection of his own
farm, but, being a philanthropic man, for the benefit of the surrounding
district, and he trained the men of his farm and made them expert
firemen. Willie was placed in command of this engine, so that the great
wish of his early years was realised! There was not a fire within ten
miles round them at which Willie's engine was not present; and the
brothers continued for many years to fight the flames together in that
neighbourhood.

As for stout George Dale, and sturdy Baxmore, and facetious Joe Corney,
with his comrades Moxey, Williams, and Mason, and Sam Forest, those
heroes continued to go on the even tenor of their way, fighting more
battles with the flames in six months than were fought with our human
enemies by all our redcoats and blue-jackets in as many years, and
without making any fuss about it, too, although danger was the element
in which