l lay aside for the use of the Nation? In other
words, why not make patriotism profitable?"

When he laid this plan before the Committee, it was unanimously
approved. The maxim of "Fifteen and Six for a Pound" was now unfurled to
the breezes and the super-campaign to corral the British penny was on,
under the auspices of the National War Savings Committee which now
superseded all other organisations as the head and front of the National
Thrift idea.

Although he had a strong selling appeal in the fact that he was giving
the small British investor something for nothing, Sir Hedley realised
that his first bid for savings must have the real punch of war in it.
What was it to be?

He thought a moment and then went over to the War Office where Lloyd
George had just succeeded the lamented Kitchener.

"What could a man buy for fifteen and six?" he asked the many-sided
little Welshman who was progressively filling every important job in the
Empire.

"He could buy six trench bombs," was the reply.

"What else?" queried the publisher.

"He could get 124 cartridges or--"

"That's enough!" exclaimed Le Bas. "I've got it!"

Lloyd George looked a little startled, whereupon his visitor remarked:
"You have given me just the thing I wanted. Wait until to-morrow and you
will find out what it is."

The very next day Lloyd George and a great part of the whole British
Nation knew exactly what Sir Hedley got out of his interview with the
War Minister, because the first advertisement announcing the new type of
War Loan read like this:

"ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOUR CARTRIDGES FOR FIFTEEN AND SIX, AND
YOUR MONEY BACK WITH COMPOUND INTEREST

"Do you know that every 15/6 you put into War Savings Certificates
can purchase 124 rifle cartridges?

"How many Cartridges will you provide for our men at the Front?

"For every 15/6 you put into War Savings Certificates now you will
receive L1 in five years' time. This is equal to compound interest
at the rate of 5.47 per cent.

"Each year your money grows as follows:

In 1 year it becomes 15/9
In 2 years it becomes 16/9
In 3 years it becomes 17/9
In 4 years it becomes 18/9
In 5 years it becomes L1

"If you need it you can withdraw your money at any time, together
with any intere