d with
the PREMIER for a full ten minutes. After lunch, Lord Wurzel arrived
in his brougham. At tea-time the Minister of Mutton-Control dashed up
in a 24 'bus, followed rapidly by the Secretary of State for War on
his scooter. Mr. Burble wore an anxious look...."

_Extract from a leading article in "The Slime," April 16th:--_

"SPIT IT OUT.

"We trust it is not already too late to appeal to the Government to
extricate the Empire from the perilous position in which their wilful
stupidity has placed it. The news from Bobadig is exceedingly serious.
Another of the affronted mules has perished in circumstances of the
foulest indignity; it only remains for the other two to die for
the triumph of British statesmanship to be complete. These wretched
creatures are being slowly sacrificed for the foolish whim of a
British Prime Minister. No doubt remains that they have been subjected
to sheep-shock by the savage bites of the Australian animal. The
Government, blinded by its own infatuate folly and deaf to the storms
of popular indignation in this country, continues to treat them
for mumps.... By this test the Government will be judged at the
forthcoming election. They must realise that the time for trifling is
past. If the resources of the British Empire are unable at this date
to combat the menace of sheep-shock among the loyal mules of Bobadig,
then indeed.... At least we are entitled to ask for an explanation of
the presence of an infuriated sheep on the staff of a British General.
The PRIME MINISTER...."

_From "The Slime," April 17th.--_

"AT LAST.

The situation in Bobadig is easing rapidly. The Government has at last
carried out the instructions of _The Slime_, and we understand that a
Ministerial expert in sheep-shock has been sent to the assistance of
the surviving mules. But while we may congratulate ourselves on the
lifting of the clouds in that direction matters in West Ham give
ground for the gravest anxiety. The wood-lice of West Ham are
proverbially of an irritable nature, and the attitude of the
Government has been calculated for some time to inflame...."

_From "The Slime," April 19th.--_

"BOBADIG CRISIS OVER.

PREMIER YIELDS.

We are glad to report ..."

_From "The Slime," April 20th.--_

"WEST HAM CRISIS BEGINS.

WOOD LICE IN REVOLT.

GRAVE WARNING.

Once again we must warn the Government...."

And so on.

A. P. H.

* * * * *

[Illustration: TRUE P