has been a mistake. Her Ladyship cannot billet soldiers."

The sergeant looked puzzled. He drew a paper from his pocket, and read
the address aloud: "'Lady Knob-Kerrick, The Poplars, Putney Hill, will
billet sixteen soldiers in her drawing-room, she will also cater for
them.'"

"Cater for them!" almost shrieked Lady Knob-Kerrick. "Cater for
sixteen soldiers! I haven't ordered sixteen soldiers."

"I'm very sorry," said the sergeant, "but it's--it's----" The man
looked at the paper he held in his hand.

"I don't care what you've got there," said Lady Knob-Kerrick rudely.
"Strint!"

Lady Knob-Kerrick had suddenly caught sight of Miss Strint.

"Yes, my lady?" responded Miss Strint.

"Did I order sixteen soldiers?" demanded Lady Knob-Kerrick in a tone
she always adopted with servants when she wanted confirmation.

"No, my lady, not as far as I know."

Lady Knob-Kerrick turned triumphantly to the sergeant, and stared at
him through her lorgnettes.

"You hear?" she demanded.

"Yes, my lady, I hear," said the sergeant, respectful, but puzzled.

"Don't you think, mum, you could let 'em stay," insinuated Bindle,
"seein' that all the stuff's 'ere."

"Let them stay!" Lady Knob-Kerrick regarded Bindle in amazement. "Let
them stay _in my drawing-room_!" She pronounced the last four words as
if Bindle's remark had outraged her sense of delicacy.

"They wouldn't be doin' no 'arm, mum, if----"

"No harm!" cried Lady Knob-Kerrick, gazing indignantly at Bindle
through her lorgnettes. "Soldiers in my drawing-room!"

"If it wasn't for them, mum," said Bindle dryly, "you'd be 'avin'
soldiers in your bedroom--'Uns," he added significantly.

Lady Knob-Kerrick hesitated. She was conscious of having been forced
upon rather delicate ground, and she prided herself upon her
patriotism. Suddenly inspiration seized her. She turned on Bindle
fiercely.

"Why are _you_ not in the army?" she demanded, with the air of a
cross-examining counsel about to draw from a witness a damning
admission.

Bindle scratched his head through his cricket-cap. He was conscious
that all eyes were turned upon him.

"Answer me!" commanded Lady Knob-Kerrick triumphantly. "Why are you
not in the army?"

Bindle looked up innocently at his antagonist.

"You got 'various' veins in your legs, mum?" He lowered his eyes to
Lady Knob-Kerrick's boots.

"How--how dare you!" gasped Lady Knob-Kerrick, aware that the soldiers
were broadly grinning, and that