XVII.

SCOTLAND YARD.

  “How long’s the Yard in Scotland? 
    Tell me that now, Mother.” 
  “Six-and-thirty inches, Daughter,
    Just like any other.” 
  “O isn’t it thirty-five, Mother?”
    “No more than thirty-seven.” 
  “Then the bonny lad that sold me plaid
    Will never get to heaven.”

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[Illustration:  Passenger. “I HEAR THEY’RE THINKING OF ELECTRIFYING THIS PART OF THE LINE.”

Porter. “AY; THEY’RE ALLUS UP TO SOME DAFT GAME.  THEY’LL BE ELECTRIFYING US NEXT.”]

* * * * *

EDWARD.

Edward has red hair, a robust appearance, and a free-and-easy way with him.  His free-and-easy way shows itself chiefly in his habit of smiling upon and waving his hand to all those whom he encounters on his daily walks.  He is talkative at times, but his vocabulary is limited.  In my opinion it is limited to one word, though his mother can distinguish several words, or says so.  She must have a very much keener ear than I have—­or a less rigid regard for the truth.

You will have guessed that Edward is under military age.  To be exact, it is thirteen months since he first saw the light in this troubled world.  Not that the world is a troubled one to Edward; on the contrary.

Edward takes his daily walks in his perambulator upon the sea-front of his native town.  His free-and-easy way has secured him a large circle of acquaintance there.  Elderly gentlemen stop and speak to him, which he likes, so long as they do not pat his cheek, a habit far too prevalent among elderly gentlemen.  Mothers of other babies are loud in his praises, though in their hearts they are probably comparing him unfavourably with their own offspring.  Altogether Edward has a cheery life.

Upon a certain day Edward fell in with a very little man—­so little, indeed, that most people would have called him a dwarf.  He was walking in the same direction as Edward, and overtaking him, and Edward waved his hand and smiled and waved again.

For a while the little man ignored these overtures.  But at length he felt obliged to return them, and remarked to Kate, who propels the perambulator, “Seems friendly like;” to which Kate replied, “Oh, he always waves to everyone.”

Now the majority of people would have been rather repelled by that remark.  For myself I may say that, though Edward always smiles when we meet, I do not greatly value it because I know he smiles in the same way upon everyone else.

But it was not so with the little man.  To be classed with “everyone,” to be placed by Edward on an equality with the strong and graceful, sent a warm glow to his heart.

So Edward, in his free-and-easy fashion, had, like the boy-scouts, done one good deed that day.

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