The Colonel had risen now, calm and courteous as always, in the suppressed excitement.
"Am I not right in thinking that Mrs. Caspar is the wife of an old Hammer-man who joined up at once on the declaration of war and is at this moment somewhere in France fighting our battles for us?"
The question was greeted with a storm of applause from the back of the hall.
"Good old Colonel!" some one called.
"Mr. Chairman, d'you mean to accept that man's cheque?" shouted Joe. "Yes or no?"
In the uproar that followed, Alf rose again, white and leering.
"I'd not have spoken if I'd known I was to be set upon like this afore em all for offering a bit of help to me country. As to my character and that, I believe I'm pretty well beknown for a patriot in Beachbourne."
"As to patriotism, old cock," called Joe, "didn't you sack your cleaners without notice on the declaration of war?"
"No, I didn't then!" shouted Alf with the exaggerated ferocity of the man who knows his only chance is to pose as righteously indignant.
The retort was greeted with a howl of Tip! There was a movement at the back of the hall; and suddenly an old man was lifted on the shoulders of the Trade Unionists there. Yellow, fang-less, creased, he looked, poised on high above the crowd against the white background of wall, something between a mummy and a monkey. As always he wore no tie; but he had donned a collar for the occasion, and this had sprung open and made two dingy ass-like ears on either side of his head.