"That must, I think, be wrong," said Mobbles.
"Quite," said the Adjutant's child.
"Well, then, put it in another way," said the Adjutant. "X can't be demobilised because there is no reason for his going, and he can't stay because there is no authority for retaining him. In other words, to put it quite clearly, as he is being retained he can't go, and as he is being demobilised he isn't to be retained. Do I make myself clear?"
"Quite," said the Adjutant's child.
Mobbles was beyond speech and busily engaged in working it out on paper in decimals.
There was, a knock at the door; a signaller brought a wire, "Report immediately position of Second-Lieut. X."
There was a moment's silence as the Adjutant grasped a message-pad and thought deeply what to say. He wrote a few lines and then looked up. "This is what I have said: 'Second-Lieut. X staying if retained, but available to go if eligible; also eligible for retention if available.' Am I clear?"
"Quite," said the Adjutant's child.