hey was of settin' at 'ome because they was afraid o' goin'
out."

Mr. Hearty looked at Mr. Gupperduck and Mr. Gupperduck looked at Mrs.
Bindle. They required time in which to assimilate so profound an
utterance.

Mr. Gupperduck had firmly established himself in the good graces of
Mr. Hearty and the leaders of the Alton Road Chapel. He was a constant
visitor at the Heartys', especially at meal times, and at the chapel
he prayed with great fervour, beating all records as far as endurance
was concerned.

"I don't agree with you," remarked Mr. Gupperduck at length, "I do not
agree with you. The Scriptures say, 'Every man to his family.'"

Mr. Hearty looked gratefully at his guest. It was pleasant to find
Bindle controverted.

"You know, Alf, you never been so much at 'ome," wheezed Mrs. Hearty,
hitting her chest remorselessly. "You never go out on moonlight
nights."

"You trust 'im," said Bindle. "'Earty an' the moon ain't never out
together."

"We are told to take cover," said Mr. Hearty with dignity.

"An' wot about us pore fellers wot 'as to be out in it all?" demanded
Bindle, looking down at his special constable's uniform.

"You should commend yourself to God," said Mr. Gupperduck piously. "He
that putteth his trust in Him shall not be afraid."

"Ain't you afraid then when there's a raid on?" demanded Bindle.

"I have no fear of earthly things," replied Mr. Gupperduck, lifting
his eyes to the ceiling.

"'E's all Gupperduck an' camelflage, ain't 'e, Millikins?" whispered
Bindle to his niece. Then aloud he said: "Well, Mrs. B. ain't like
you! She's afraid like all the rest of us. I don't believe much in
coves wot say they ain't afraid. You ask the boys back from France.
You don't 'ear them a-sayin' they ain't afraid. They knows too much
for that."

"There is One above who watches over us all, Joseph," said Mr. Hearty,
emboldened to unaccustomed temerity by the presence of Mr. Gupperduck.

"Mr. Bindle," said Mr. Gupperduck, "our lives and our happiness are in
God's hands, wherefore should we feel afraid?"

"Well, well!" remarked Bindle, with resignation, "you an' 'Earty beat
me when it comes to pluck. When I'm out with all them guns a-goin',
an' bombs a-droppin' about, I'd sooner be somewhere else, an' I ain't
a-goin' to say different. P'raps it's because I'm an 'eathen."

"The hour of repentance should not be deferred," said Mr. Gupperduck.
"It is not too late even now."

"It's no good," said Bind