ng, I'll dodge," said Norah.

"Michael, what are you doing with Mrs. Noah?"

"Not want my dear 'ickle Mrs. Noah dwowned," said Michael, concealing
the lady yet more securely in his tiny pocket. "She good. Michael
_loves_ her."

"Oh, rubbish, Michael! put her back in the Ark," said Geoffrey
wrathfully. "However can we have a proper submarining if you go and
collar half the things?"

"Never collared nuffig," said Michael, unmoved. "Only tooked my dear
'ickle Mrs. Noah."

"Never mind Geoff--he's only a small boy," Mrs. Hunt said.

"_Isn't_ a small boy!" protested Michael furiously. "Daddy said I was
'normous."

"So you are, best-beloved," laughed Norah, catching him up. "Now the
submarine commander has on clean clothes, and you'd better get ready
to go on duty." Geoffrey dashed back to the bath with a shout of
defiance to the airship, and the destruction of the Ark proceeded
gaily.

"There!" said Mrs. Hunt, putting Geoffrey's garments into a tub.
"It's just as well to have them washed, but I really don't think
there's any need to worry."

"I don't think you need, indeed!" said Norah, laughing, as a medley of
sound came from the bathroom.

It was an "off" day for Norah. With Miss de Lisle she had potted and
preserved every variety of food that would lend itself to such
treatment, and now the working season was almost over. For the first
time the Home for Tired People had not many inmates, owing to the fact
that leave had been stopped for several men at the Front who had
arranged to spend their holiday at Homewood. They had with them an
elderly colonel and his wife; Harry Trevor and another Australian; a
silent Major who played golf every hour of daylight, and read golf
literature during the other part of the day; and a couple of sappers,
on final leave after recovering from wounds. To-day the Colonel and
his wife had gone up to London; the others, with the exception of
Major Mackay, who, as usual, might be seen afar upon the links, had
gone with Mr. Linton to a sale where he hoped to secure some unusually
desirable pigs; the sappers, happy in ignorance, promised themselves
much enjoyment in driving them home. Left alone, therefore, Norah had
gone for the day to Mrs. Hunt, ostensibly to improve her French and
needlework, but in reality to play with the babies. Just how much the
Hunt babies had helped her only Norah herself knew.

"I'm asked to a festivity the day after to-morrow," Mrs. Hunt said