"A short way with submarines?" said Bill; "oh, yes, we've _got_ one
all right; but," he added regretfully, "I don't know as I'm at liberty
to tell you. Wot I'm thinkin' about is this 'ere Defence o' the Realm
Act--see? Why, there was a feller I knew got ten days' cells for just
tellin' a young woman where 'er sweet'eart's ship was."
It was the last day of Bill's "leaf," of which he had spent the
greater part warding off the attacks of old acquaintances bent upon
finding out something interesting about the Navy. Of course during
his absence Bill had written home regularly, but his letters had been
models of discretion and confined to matters of the strictest personal
interest. Since his return quite a number of temporary coldnesses
had arisen as a result of his obstinate reticence, and the retired
station-master, after several attacks both in front and flank had
ignominiously failed, flew into a rage and said he didn't believe
there was any Navy left to tell about, the Germans having sunk it all
at the Battle of Jutland.
Bill said they might 'ave done, he really didn't know, not to be
certain.
But now, with his bundle handkerchief beside him, just having another
drink on his way to the station, Bill really seemed to be relenting
a little. The customers of the "Malt House" all leaned forward
attentively to listen.
"It's all among friends, Bill," said the landlord encouragingly, "it
won't go no further, you can rest easy about that."
"I've 'eard tell as it's this 'ere Mr. Macaroni," began the baker,
who took in a twopenny paper every day, and gave himself well-informed
airs in consequence.
"If you'd ever been properly eddicated," said Bill, wiping his mouth
on the back of his hand, "you'd know as the best discoveries 'ave been
made by haccident, same as when the feller invented the steam-engine
along of an apple tumblin' on 'is 'ead. That's 'ow it is with this
'ere submarine business, an' no macaroni about it an' no cheese
neither.
"Sailormen gets a deal o' presents sent 'em nowadays, rangin' from
wrist-watches an' cottage-pianners to woolly 'ug-me-tights in double
sennit. But the best present we ever 'ad--well, I'll tell you.
"An old lady as was aunt or godmother or something o' the sort to
our Navigatin' Lootenant sent him a present of an extra large tin of
peppermint 'umbugs. Real 'ot uns, they was, and big--well, I believe
you! I've 'ad a deal o' peppermints in my time, but this 'ere
consignment from the Navigator's great-aunt fairly put the lid on.
You'd ha' thought all 'ands was requirin' dental treatment the day
the Navigator shared 'em out, an' when the steersman come off duty,
'e give the course to the feller relievin' the wheel as if 'e'd got an
'ot potato in 'is mouth.
"Well, the peppermints was in full blast an' the ship smellin' like a
bloomin' sweet factory when the look-out reported a submarine on our
port bow. O' course we was all cleared for haction, an' beginnin' to
feel our Iron Crosses burnin' 'oles in our jumpers, when we begun to
see as there was something funny about 'er.
"Naturally we was lookin' for 'er to submerge--but not she! There she
sat, waitin' for us, an' all 'er crew was pushin' an' fightin' to get
their 'eads out of 'er conning tower. We was right on top of 'er in
two twos, and all as we 'ad to do was to pick up the officers and crew
as if they was a lot o' wasps as 'ad been drinkin' beer, an' tow the
submarine--which was in fust-rate goin' order, not a month out o' Kiel
dockyard--'ome to a port as I'm not at liberty to mention."
"But 'ow?" began the baker.
"I thought as I'd made it middlin' plain," said Bill severely, "but
seein' as some folks wants winders lettin' into their 'eads I suppose
I'd better make it plainer. I daresay you've 'eard as they're very
short o' sweet-stuff in Germany."
"I 'ave," said the baker triumphantly, "I read it in my paper."
"Well," said Bill, "there was a wind settin' good and strong from us
towards the submarine, an' when one of 'em as 'appened to be takin'
the air at the time got a sniff of us 'e just couldn't leave off
sniffin'. Then 'e passed the word down to the others, an' the hodour
of the peppermints was that powerful it knocked 'em all of a 'eap, the
same as food on an empty stummnick. See? That's the real reason o' the
sugar shortage. There's 'arf-a-dozen factories workin' night an' day
on Admiralty contracts, turnin' out nothin' at all only peppermint
'umbugs.
"Simple, ain't it?" Bill concluded, as he paid for his beer and
reached for his bundle. "Anyway, it does as well as anything else to
tell a lot o' folks as can't let a decent sailorman spend 'is bit o'
leaf in peace an' quietness without tryin' to get to know what 'e's
got no business to tell 'em nor them to find out."
* * * * *
"Concrete holds its own in the construction of our houses, our
public buildings, our brides...."--_New Zealand Paper_.
This ought to cement the affections.
* * * * *
[Illustration: COMMON IDEALS.
BRITISH FOOD PROFITEER (_to German ditto_). "ALAS! MY POOR BROTHER.
YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN ENGLISHMAN. ENGLAND IS A FREE COUNTRY."
[The Berlin _Vossische Zeitung_ states that about four thousand cases
of profiteering are dealt with monthly in Germany.]]
* * * * *