l of talking in the village all that
evening, for the following notice had appeared in a dozen conspicuous
places, beginning with the gate of the church-yard, and ending with two
of the biggest mooring-posts, and not even sparing the Admiral's white
gate, where it flapped between the two upper rails. It was not printed,
but written in round hand, with a liberal supply of capitals, on a stiff
sheet of official paper, stamped with the Royal Arms at the top.
And those who were in the secret knew that Master Bob Stubbard, the
Captain's eldest son, had accomplished this great literary feat at a
guerdon of one shilling from the public service funds every time he
sucked his pen at the end of it.

"By order of His Majesty King George III. To-morrow being Wednesday, and
the fishing-boats at sea, Artillery practice from Fox-hill fort will be
carried on from twelve at noon until three P.M. at a mark-boat moored
half a mile from the shore. Therefore His Majesty's loyal subjects
are warned to avoid the beach westward of the brook between the white
flagstaffs, as well as the sea in front of it, and not to cross the line
of fire below the village but at their own risk and peril.

"(Signed) ADAM JACKSON STUBBARD, R.N., commanding Fox-hill Battery."

Some indignation was aroused by this; for Mrs. Caper junior (who was
Mrs. Prater's cousin) had been confined, out of proper calculation, and
for the very first time, the moment the boats were gone on Monday; and
her house, being nearest to the fort, and in a hollow where the noise
would be certain to keep going round and round, the effect upon her
head, not to mention the dear baby's, was more than any one dared to
think of, with the poor father so far away. And if Squire Darling had
only been at home, not a woman who could walk would have thought twice
about it, but gone all together to insist upon it that he should stop
this wicked bombardment. And this was most unselfish of all of them,
they were sure, because they had so long looked forward to putting
cotton-wool in their ears, and seeing how all the enemies of England
would be demolished. But Mrs. Caper junior, and Caper, natu minimus,
fell fast asleep together, as things turned out, and heard not a single
bang of it.

And so it turned out, in another line of life, with things against
all calculation, resenting to be reckoned as they always do, like the
countless children of Israel. For Admiral Darling was gone far away
inspect