areful, won't you?" Then with a little catch in her voice, she added,
"You know you are the only Uncle Joe I've got."

And Bindle went out into the night where the guns thundered and the
shrapnel burst in sinister white stabs in the sky, whilst over all
brooded the Great Queen of the heavens, bathing in her white peace the
red war of pigmies.

II

Two hours later Bindle's ring at the Heartys' bell was answered by
Millie.

"Oh, Uncle Joe!" she cried joyfully, "I'm so glad you're back safe.
Hasn't it been dreadful?" Her lower lip quivered a little.

"You ain't been frightened, Millikins, 'ave you?" enquired Bindle
solicitously.

"A soldier's wife isn't afraid, Uncle Joe," she replied bravely.
Millie's sweetheart, Charlie Dixon, was at the front.

"My! ain't we gettin' a woman, Millikins," cried Bindle, putting his
arm affectionately round her shoulders and kissing her cheek loudly.
"Everybody all right?" he enquired.

"Yes, I think so, Uncle Joe, but," she squeezed his arm, "I'm so glad
you're back. I've been thinking of you all the time. Every time there
was a big bang I--I wondered----"

"Well, well!" interrupted Bindle, "we ain't goin' to be down-'earted,
are we? It's over now, you'll 'ear the 'All Clear' in a few minutes."

Bindle walked into the Heartys' parlour, where Mrs. Hearty was seated
on the sofa half asleep.

"'Ullo, Martha!" he cried.

"Ah! Joe," she said, "I'm glad you're back. I'm afraid there's been a
lot of----" Her breath failed her, and she broke off into a wheeze.

Bindle looked about him curiously.

"'Ullo! wot's 'appened to them three little cherubs?" he enquired.

Mrs. Hearty began to shake and wheeze with laughter, and Millie stood
looking at Bindle.

"Wot's 'appened, Millikins?" he enquired. "Done a bunk, 'ave they?"

"They're--they're in the potato-cellar, Uncle Joe," said Millie
without the ghost of a smile. Somehow it seemed to her almost like a
reflection on her own courage that her father and aunt should have
thought only of their personal safety.

Bindle slapped his leg with keen enjoyment. "Well, I'm blowed!" he
cried, "if that ain't rich. Three people wot was talkin' about puttin'
their trust in Gawd a-goin' into that little funk-'ole. Well, I'm
blowed!"

"Don't laugh, Uncle Joe," began Millie, "I--I----" She broke off,
unable to express what was in her mind.

"Don't you worry, Millikins," he replied as he moved towards the door.
"I'd better go and tell 'em th