uch about the
'Uns, an' wot fine fellers they was, an' it sort o' give them people
wot was listenin' the pip, so they goes for Guppy."

"The cowards!" Mrs. Bindle snapped out the words venomously.

"You got to remember, Lizzie," said Bindle with unwonted seriousness,
"that a lot o' those people 'ad lost them wot they was fond of through
this 'ere war, an' they wasn't keen to 'ear that the 'Un is a sort o'
picture-postcard, with a dove a-sittin' on 'is 'elmet."

"What did you do?" demanded Mrs. Bindle aggressively.

"Well, I jest looked on," said Bindle calmly. "I've warned Guppy
more'n once that 'e'd lose 'is tail-feathers if 'e wasn't careful; but
'e was that self-willed, 'e was. You can't throw 'Un-wash over crowds
in this 'ere country without runnin' risks." Bindle spoke with
conviction.

"But it's a free country, Joseph," protested Mr. Hearty rather weakly.

"Oh! 'Earty, 'Earty!" said Bindle, wagging his head despondently.
"When will you learn that no one ain't free to say to a cove things
wot make 'im wild, leastwise without bein' ready to put 'is 'ands up."

"But weren't any of his friends there?" enquired Mrs. Bindle.

"I see two of 'em," said Bindle with a reminiscent grin. "They caught
Ole Cap-an'-Whiskers jest as 'e was shinnin' up a tree--rare cove for
trees 'e seems. 'Auled 'im down they did. Then 'e swore 'e'd never
seen ole Guppy in all 'is puff, cried about it, 'e did."

"Peter!" muttered Mrs. Bindle.

"That 'is name?" enquired Bindle. "Any'ow it didn't 'elp 'im, for they
pulled 'is whiskers out and dipped 'im in the pond, an' when last I
see 'im 'e was wearin' jest a big bruise, a soft collar an' such bits
of 'is trousers as the boys didn't seem to want. Made me blush it
did."

"Serve him right!" cried Mrs. Bindle.

Bindle looked at her curiously. "Thought you was sort o' pals with
'im," he remarked.

"He was a traitor, a Peter betraying his master." Bindle looked
puzzled, Mr. Hearty nodded his head in approval.

"Was Mr. Wayskin there?" asked Mrs. Bindle.

"The little chap with the glasses an' a beard too big for 'im, wot
goes about with Ole Cap-an'-Whiskers?"

Mrs. Bindle nodded.

"Well, 'e got orf, trousers an' all," said Bindle with a grin. "Nippy
little cove 'e was," he added.

"Oh, the brutes!" exclaimed Mrs. Bindle. "The cowards!"

"Well," remarked Bindle, "it all come about through 'im tryin' to give
'em treacle when they wanted curry."

"Perhaps he's gone home!" Mrs. Bi