ted
it with a lot of caterpillars, and retired behind a tree with the end
of a long piece of string in his hand.

"When Philip walks up to the trap," he explained, "he starts eating
the caterpillars. I pull the string, and he is caught in the calico.
It's called a bow-net."

He waited patiently for an hour-and-a-half, except for a short break
while he rounded up the caterpillars, who, not knowing the rules, had
walked away. Then we took the luncheon interval; scores, James (in
play) 0; Philip 0.

"I don't see," said Ansell soon after the resumption, "why poor old
James should do all the work. Let's all help."

We began by posting an appeal in prominent spots about the grounds:--

PHILIP--If this should meet the eye of. Return to your
sorrowing family, when all will be forgotten and forgiven
and no questions asked.

Next we festooned the estate with helpful notices, such as "This way
to the Trap -->" and "Caterpillar Buffet first turn to Left." One of
the peacocks was observed to be reading this last with great interest,
so we added a few more notices for the special benefit of unauthorised
food-hogs: "Free List Suspended until Further Notice," and "Eat Less
Worm."

At tea-time Philip was still holding coldly aloof. But while we were
indoors Bennett, the gardener, caught him by some simple artifice
beneath James's notice. I found him putting the truant back in his
cage.

"Don't do that, Bennett," I said. "Put him in Mr. James's trap. He's
had a lot of trouble making that trap, and it's a pity to waste it."

Bennett grinned a toothless grin at me and did some dialect, which I
understood to mean that I might do as I liked, but that he (Bennett)
was not going to catch no more birds for us.

Hardly had I put Philip in the trap when James emerged.

"Good Lord!" he shouted, "it's done it! He's in!"

He dashed on to the lawn, wild with joy. Probably it was the first
time any of his devices had succeeded.

"Aha, my beauty," he cried, slipping his hand under the calico. "We've
got you safe, have we?"

We had not. There was a flash of red and grey, and the outraged
Philip, minus a tail feather, sought the sanctuary of the woods.

He is still absent without leave at the time of writing.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Manager of Labour Exchange_ (_to man whom he has sent
to a job for "an intelligent labourer to assist the demonstrator of
tanks; one who can hold his tongu