able of proceeding to the third hole. When I got there (in two) I
found it occupied by a squadron of wasps while reinforcements were
rapidly coming up from a hole beneath the shed. Being hopelessly
outnumbered I contented myself with a strategical movement necessitating
several stiff rearguard actions.

* * *

Joan, growing a little more proficient, had in a couple of days made 500
cigarettes. I had undertaken to despatch them, and one morning she came
to me with a neatly-tied-up parcel.

"Here they are," she said; "but you must ask at the Post Office how they
should be addressed. I've stuck on a label."

I went out, taking the parcel with me, and walked straight to the
tobacconist's.

"Please pack up 1,000 Hareems," I said, "and post them to the British
Expeditionary Force. Mark the label 'Cigarettes for the use of the
troops.' And look here, I owe you for a pound of tobacco my wife bought
the other day. I'll square up for that at the same time. By-the-by, what
tobacco was it?"

"Well, Sir," the man replied, "I hardly like to admit it in these times,
but it was a tobacco grown in German East Africa. It really isn't fit to
smoke, and is only good for destroying wasps' nests or fumigating
greenhouses, which I thought your lady wanted it for, seeing as how she
picked it out for herself. Some ladies nowadays know as much about
tobacco as what we do."

I left the shop hurriedly. The problem of the disposal of Joan's
well-meaning gift was now solved. I returned home and furtively stole up
the side path into the garden. Under cover of the summer-house I undid
the parcel and proceeded rapidly to strip the paper from those of the
cigarettes that had not already become hollow mockeries. When I had
collected all the tobacco I went in search of the gardener, and
encountered him returning from one of his numerous meals.

"Wilkins," I said, "there is a wasps' nest on the third green, and here
is some special wasp-eradicator. Will you conduct the fumigation?"

As Joan and I were walking round the garden that evening before dinner
Joan said--

"I don't want to blush to find it fame, but--do you know--I prefer doing
good by stealth."

A faint but unmistakable odour was borne on the air from the direction
of the third green.

"So do I," I said.

* * * * *

OUR NATIONAL GUESTS.

My wife attributes our success (so far) in the entertainment of Belgian
Refugees solely to the fact th