Nicky-Nan, Reservist

Nanjivell (commonly known as Nicky-Nan) paid small at

by the Balance of Power in Europe, nor perhaps could any one of them have explained why, when Austria declared war on Servia, Germany should be taking a hand. But they had learnt enough on the lower deck to forebode that, when Germany took a hand, the British Navy would pretty soon be clearing for action. Consequently all through the last week of J

corn is in

ish is on

hes-dips among the straggling advance-guards of the great armies of pilchards surely drawing in from the Atlantic. "'Tis early days yet, hows'ever-time enough, my sons-plenty time!" promised Un' Benny Rowett, patriarch of the fishing-fleet and local preacher on Sundays. Some of the younger men grumbled that "there was no tellin': the season had been tricky from the start." The spider-crabs-that are the curse of inshore trammels-had lingered for a good three weeks past the date when by all rights they were due to sheer off. Then a h

d these were the majority) demanded protection from steam trawlers, whom they accused of scrapin

grasp that if th' Almighty hadn' ordained other fish an' birds as well as us men to prey upon 'em, in five years' time no boat'd be able to sail th' Atlantic; in ten years ye could walk over from Polpier to Newfoundland stankin' 'pon rotten pilchards all the way. Don't reckon yourselves wiser than Natur', my billies. . . . As for steam trawlin', simmee, I han't heard so much open grievin' over it since Government started loans for motors. Come to think-hey?- there ben't

r behind. 'Tis well beknown as the fish St Peter took when Our Lord told 'en to cast a hook; an' be shot if he didn' come to hook with a piece o' silver in his mouth! You can see Peter's thumb-mark upon him to this day: and, i

we be here

the end of the quay turned to stare at him. (For this happened on the evening of S

on did Dot declare itself outwardly, save perhaps in a constant gentleness of manner. The essence of it lay in spiritual withdrawal; the man retiring into his own heart,

n' Benny. "Tell us-you that don't

wly, "there is going to be War for c

valley, playing at a game they called "English and Germans"-an adaptation of the old "Prisoners' Base." No one wanted to be a German: but, seeing that you cannot

to enter the Navy when they grew up. They knew what it meant, too. The great battleships from Plymouth ran their speed-trials off Polpier: the westward mile-mark stood on the Peak, right over the littl

were gossiping whilst their men slumbered. All Polpier women-even the laziest-knit while they talk: and from nine o'clock onwards the a

the dinner-hour the girls asserted themselves by starting an Ambulance Corps, and with details so realistic

cholas Nanjivell, gloomily contemplating his knife and wishing he could plunge it into the heart of a man who stood behind a counter behind a door which stood in view beyond the bridge-end-Nicholas Nanjivell, nursing his own injury to the exclusion of any that might threaten Europe-glanced up and beheld his neighbour Pen

hastily shutting an

ou got

red 'Beida, with

that cheeld play loose on the Quay! . . . What's happened to 'en? Brok

din' for his country, is 'Biades, if you really want to know

for, m

nce the fore-part o' the week, when he broke the blade prizin'

'Bert. "I was gettin

not lend 'ee my knife, neither. You don't know what War is, children: an' please God you never wi

-didn' we, 'Bert?-'twas safe as to-morrow's sun. The way we heard was that Mother'd forgot to order us to bed; which hasn't happened not since Cor

off till I was a man

hopes. He let out a piercing yell and cried that he wanted his tea. 'Beida dropped her end

e not careful there won't be no amputation till afterwards, when Mot

howled

ou won't get cut open till Monday; because 'tis Sunday to-mor

sister. "When that happens, you may turn up your t

ruptly as he had started. "W

find yourself one solid scab," bega

e's misery enough, the Lord knows-" He broke off on a twinge of pain,

ery of gilt, while a couple wore the additional glory of a vane. On these it flashed, and passed on to bathe the line of cottages along the eastern shore, with the coast-guard hut that stood separate beyond them on the round of the cliff-track-all in on

, the children

ards the familiar outline of the hills that almost overlapped, closing out sight of the sea. A

reet-corner beyond the bridge re

ood a man respectably dressed and large of build. It was Mr Pamphlett, the Bank-

please

aying a broad white waistcoat a

Nanji

s sound leg, withdrew a hand from his pocket and to

Pamphlett. "This Mor

felt, even in t

dumb. "You have come to say, I hope," hazarded Mr Pamphlett after a pause, "that you don't intend to give me any more trouble

e, sir. If there was,

t me a matter of pounds-not to mention six months' delay, which means money lost-to eject yo

know, waitin' to marry and unable, because the visitors snap up cottage after cottage for s

ill be best employed for some time to come in fighting for

pped the knife in his pock

to interfere with them: but onl

ving me to legal proceedings! Look here, Nanjivell. You are fum

, s

nd the costs I've been put to. If you bring me the

, s

, with more serious business than yours. In the times now upon us a many folk are bound to

he knife in his pocket,

d closed the door. Beyond the frail partition which boarded him off