charm and
liveliness of youth, will deter him from that brief spell of folly
which is so necessary for the propagation of the species."

"Some mothers are charming," argued Aurelle.

"That's another danger," said the doctor, "for as the mother always
tends to live her daughter's emotional life, there is a constant risk
of her falling in love with her son-in-law."

"My God!" cried Dundas, horror-struck.

However, the German airmen set his fears at rest that very evening by
destroying half the town. The statue of Admiral Courbet in the middle
of the square near the bookseller's shop was hit by a bomb. The
admiral continued to point an outstretched finger towards the
station, but the bookseller cleared out. Germaine followed him
regretfully.

As she was unable to take her dog Dick--a horrid mongrel, half-poodle
and half-spaniel--Dundas gravely consented to look after him. He
loved dogs with a sentimental warmth which he denied to men. Their
ideas interested him, their philosophy was the same as his, and he
used to talk to them for hours at a time like a nurse to her
children.

The general and Colonel Parker were not a bit astonished when he
introduced Dick into the mess. They had found fault with him for
falling in love, but they approved of his adopting a dog.

Dick, an Abbeville guttersnipe, was therefore admitted to the
refinements of the general's table. He remained, however, a rough son
of the people, and barked when Private Brommit appeared with the
meat.

"Behave yourself, sir," Dundas said to him, genuinely shocked,
"behave yourself. A well-brought-up dog never, never does that. A
good dog never barks indoors, never, never, never."

Germaine's pet was offended and disappeared for three days. The
orderlies reported he had been seen in the country in doubtful
company. At last he returned, cheerful and unkempt, with one ear torn
and one eye bleeding, and asked to be let in by barking merrily.

"You're a very naughty dog, sir," said Dundas as he nursed him
adroitly, "a very, very bad little dog indeed."

Whereupon he turned towards the general.

"I'm very much afraid, sir," he said, "that this fellow Dick is not
quite a gentleman."

"He's a French dog," replied General Bramble with sorrowful
forbearance.

CHAPTER VIII

A GREAT CHEF

"Le roi ordonnait le matin petit souper ou tres petit souper;
mais ce dernier etait abondant et de trois services sans le
fruit."--Saint-Simon.

In