“He's our Guardy. Isn't he a chook?”

That rumbling whisper like “Scratch a Poll, Poll!” recurring to Bob Pillin, he said with reservation:

“You know him better than I do.” “Oh! Aren't you his grandson, or something?”

Bob Pillin did not cross himself.

“Lord! No! My dad's an old friend of his; that's all.”

“Is your dad like him?”

“Not much.”

“What a pity! It would have been lovely if they'd been Tweedles.”

Bob Pillin thought: 'This bit is something new. I wonder what her Christian name is.' And he said:

“What did your godfather and godmothers in your baptism—-?”