n the skins and sharpen
the tongues of us public men, so that, we are able to meet our opponents
with their own weapons. I perceive before me, indeed, a liberal
education in just those public qualities wherein I am conscious of being
as yet deficient." And his heart sank within him, thinking of the carts
on the hills of Hampstead and the boys who drove them. "What is lacking
to them," he mused, "is the power of seeing this problem steadily and
seeing it whole. Let me endeavour to impart this habit to all who have
any connection with transport."

He had just completed this reflection when, turning a corner, he came on
a large van standing stockstill at the top of an incline. The driver was
leaning idly against the hind wheel filling a pipe. Mr. Lavender glanced
at the near horse, and seeing that he was not distressed, he thus
addressed the man:

"Do you not know, my friend, that every minute is of importance in this
national crisis? If I could get you to see the question of transport
steadily, and to see it whole, I feel convinced that you would not be
standing there lighting your pipe when perhaps this half-hour's delay in
the delivery of your goods may mean the death of one of your comrades at
the front."

The man, who was wizened, weathered, and old, with but few teeth, looked
up at him from above the curved hands with which he was coaxing the
flame of a match into the bowl of his pipe. His brow was wrinkled, and
moisture stood at the comers of his eyes.

"I assure you," went on Mr. Lavender, "that we have none of us the right
in these days to delay for a single minute the delivery of anything--not
even of speeches. When I am tempted to do so, I think of our sons and
brothers in the trenches, and how every shell and every word saves their
lives, and I deliver----"

The old man, who had finished lighting his pipe, took a long pull at it,
and said hoarsely:

"Go on!"

"I will," said Mr. Lavender, "for I perceive that I can effect a
revolution in your outlook, so that instead of wasting the country's
time by leaning against that wheel you will drive on zealously and help
to win the war."

The old man looked at him, and one side of his face became drawn up in
a smile, which seemed to Mr. Lavender so horrible that he said: "Why do
you look at me like that?"

"Cawn't 'elp it," said the man.

"What makes you," continued Mr. Lavender, "pause here with your job half
finished? It is not the hill which keeps you ba