felt that to refrain from jam, apple pie, cake, and mixed candied peel,
was a really heroic act--and I agree with him. He was also proud of not
taking the custard pudding,--and there I think he was wrong,--because if
he had taken it there would have been a difficulty about returning the
dish; no one, however starving, has a right to steal china pie-dishes
with little pink flowers on them. The soda-water syphon was different.
They could not do without something to drink, and as the maker's name
was on it they felt sure it would be returned to him wherever they might
leave it. If they had time they would take it back themselves. The
man appeared to live in Rochester, which would not be much out of their
way home.

[Illustration: These were the necessaries of life]

Everything was carried up to the top of the tower, and laid down on a
sheet of kitchen paper which Cyril had found on the top shelf of the
larder. As he unfolded it, Anthea said, "I don't think _that's_ a
necessity of life."

"Yes, it is," said he. "We must put the things down somewhere to cut
them up; and I heard father say the other day people got diseases from
germans in rain-water. Now there must be lots of rain-water here,--and
when it dries up the germans are left, and they'd get into the things,
and we should all die of scarlet fever."

"What are germans?"

"Little waggly things you see with microscopes," said Cyril, with a
scientific air. "They give you every illness you can think of. I'm sure
the paper was a necessary, just as much as the bread and meat and water.