"I don't know. Somebody might suggest Sir John Corbett."

Mr. Waddington's face sagged with dismay as Fanny presented this
unpleasant possibility.

"I don't think Sir John would care about it. I shall suggest it to him
myself; but I don't think--."

After all, Sir John Corbett was a lazy man.

"When you've roused Sir John, if you ever _do_ rouse him, then you'll
have to round up all the towns and villages for twenty miles. It's a
pity you can't have Ralph; he would have rounded them for you in no time
on his motor-bike."

"I am quite capable of rounding them all up myself, thank you."

"Well, dear," said Fanny placably, "it'll keep you busy for the next six
months, and that'll be nice. You won't miss the war then so much, will
you?"

"_Miss the war_?"

"Yes, you do miss it, darling. He was a special constable, Barbara; and
he sat on tribunals; and he drove his motor-car like mad on government
service. He had no end of a time. It's no use your saying you didn't
enjoy it, Horatio, for you did."

"I was glad to be of service to my country as much as any soldier, but
to say that I enjoyed the war--"