stepped from the room solemnly--his long
legs in pyjamas, under a military great coat, ending a curious effect
to the spectacle. Miss de Lisle and Norah laughed helplessly.

"And a captain!" said the cook-lady, wiping her eyes. "Now I really
must run, or there will be no breakfast in this house."

Breakfast was a movable feast in the Home for Tired People, who
wandered in and out just as they felt inclined. Hot dishes sat on a
hot-water plate and a little aluminium-topped table; such matters as
ham and brawn lurked on a sideboard; and Allenby came in from time to
time to replenish tea and coffee. Norah and her father rarely
encountered any one but Phil Hardress at this meal, since theirs was
generally over long before most of their guests had decided to get up.
On this morning, however, every one was equally late, and food did not
seem to matter; the table was "snowed under" with masses of letters
and Christmas parcels, and as every one opened these and talked all at
once, mingling greetings with exclamations over the contents of the
packages, Miss de Lisle's efforts had been in vain.

"I pitied your post-lady," said Mrs. Aikman, the wife of a wounded
colonel. "She staggered to the door under an enormous mail-bag,
looking as though Christmas were anything but merry. However, I saw
her departing, after an interval, with quite a sprightly step."

"Allenby had orders to look after her," Norah said, smiling. "Poor
soul--she begins her round at some unearthly hour and she's hungry and
tired by the time she gets here."

"One of the remarkable things about this country of yours," said Mr.
Linton, "is the way you have continued to deliver parcels and letters
as though there were no war. Strange females or gaunt children bring
them to one's door, but the main point is that they do come. In
Australia, even without a war, the post-office scorns to deliver a
parcel; if any one is rash enough to send you one the post-office puts
it in a cupboard and sends you a cold postcard to tell you to come and
take it away. If you don't come soon, they send you a threatening
card."

"And if you don't obey that?"

"I never dared to risk a third," said Mr. Linton, laughing. "I am a
man of peace."

"But what a horrible system!" said Mrs. Aikman. "Doesn't it interfere
with business?"

"Oh yes, greatly," said her host. "But I suppose we shall learn, in
time."

"I'm going over to the cottage," Norah whispered to Jim. "Do
c