It was some consolation to find that the
railway still stopped seven miles short of my village, though I
reflected gloomily that the place itself was doubtless a network of
light railways by this time. We bowled along in stately fashion up
Plough Lane and past Halfpenny Cross to the Manor House with its
thatched roof and Virginia-creeper all over the porch. The Squire
carried me off at once for the professional part of my visit, but we
fell to talking of fishing, which had been good, and cubbing, which
had been bad, and were on to Leg-o'-Mutton Common before I remembered
to speak of munitions.
"Not much sign of war here," I said with a relieved sigh. "I was
afraid they'd have spoilt the dear old heath for a certainty. Only
don't say it's Down Wood they've gone to, for that'd be more than I
could stand. I thought there were fairies there long after I ought
to have been a hard-headed young man of six, and if they've gone and
desecrated that wood with factories--"
The Squire smiled.
"I don't think I should worry. Amongst all your Unexpected Explosives
do you happen to condescend to have heard of the gentle horse-chestnut
and the school-children that collect them? Here are the two
delinquents I wrote to you about, and we've caught them in the act.
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