house. And it is even said that he once contrived to be shut in all
night by hiding behind a case of red coral rattles when the policeman
came round at dusk to shut and lock the doors.

Moreover, as you can see for yourselves in the pictures, he was always
inventing new ways of minding his charges. So expert did he become in
time that he was never at a loss with the most fractious, and easily
surpassing all rivals, he became the most perfect minder of the
district.

Bill's fame spread to the most distant towns, and worrited mothers for
miles around flocked to him with their children. He was most successful
in distracting the vaccinated, and under his care young tooth-cutters
soon forgot their troubles. Even the pangs of indigestion were allayed
and the fretfulness of the sleepless lulled to rest by the charm of his
ways. Short tempers were lengthened, and terrified midnight wakers were
taught to realise how ridiculous were their fears. Screechers ceased to
screech, and grizzlers to grizzle, while weepers and howlers reformed
their habits and learnt to chuckle throughout the day.

If any one could mind, Bill could!

But life was not all condensed milk and honey to Bill. Like all good
minders and men, he had the bad fortune to arouse the jealousy of
rivals. The unvarying success which met his clever treatment of the most
difficult cases, instead of arousing the admiration of his brother
minders, as one would have expected, and making them eager to imitate
him, only had the effect of making them very cross and jealous. Some,
indeed, became so wild that they had to be minded themselves, while
others neglected their charges and wandered about the country in a
dreadful state of grumpiness, biting their nails to the quick, and
tearing their hair or anything else they could get hold of.

The time now arrived for the great annual Minding Tournament, held by
the Duke to celebrate his birthday, to which every one had been looking
forward all through the year. Few people have ever been so delighted
over being born as was the Duke, and this was how he most liked to show
his joy and thankfulness. The prizes and cups were usually subscribed
for by the mothers and fathers, but this year was a very special
occasion, for the Duke, having arrived at the age of sixty, had decided
to present a gold-mounted feeding-bottle to be competed for during the
tournament.

Everybody was there; the Duke and his Duchess with a handsome bouquet of