“Oh, that’s all right,” said Lalage. “We shall be able to manage the ices. There isn’t really much in these cakes.” If Selby-Harrison had come there would, I think, have been cakes enough; but there would not have been any to spare. I only ate two myself. When we had finished the ices we gave ourselves to conversation. “That Tithers man,” said Lalage, “seems to be a fairly good sort.” “Is Tithers another name for the Puffin?” “No,” said Lalage. “Tithers is Joey P.” “He signed his letter Joseph P.,” said Hilda, “so at first we called him that.” Titherington usually signs himself Joseph P. I inferred that he was Tithers. “You liked him?” I said. “In some ways he’s rather an ass,” said Lalage, “‘and just at first I thought he was inclined to have too good an opinion of himself. But that was only his manner. In the end he turned out to be a fairly good sort. I thought he was going to kick up a bit when I asked him to sign the agreement, but he did it all right when I explained to him that he’d have to.” “Lalage,” I said, “I’d like very much to see that agreement.” “Hilda has it. Hilda, trot out the agreement.” Hilda trotted it out of a small bag which she carried attached to her waist by a chain. I opened it and read aloud: “Memorandum of an agreement made this tenth day of February between the Members of the A.S.P.L., hereinafter called the Speakers, of the one part, and Joseph P. Titherington, election agent, of the other.” “I call that rather good,” said Lalage. “Very,” I said, “Selby-Harrison did it, I suppose?” “Of course,” said Lalage. “(1) The Speakers are to deliver for the said election agent . . . speeches before the tenth of March.” “I told Tithers to fill in the number of speeches he wanted,” said Lalage, “but he seems to have forgotten.” “(2) The Speakers hereby agree to assign to the said election agent, his successors and assigns, and the said election agent hereby agrees to enjoy, the sole benefit of the above speeches in the British Empire. “(3) When the demand for such speeches has evidently ceased the said election agent shall be at liberty----” I paused. There was something which struck me as familiar about the wording of this agreement. I recollected suddenly that the Archdeacon had once consulted me about an agreement which ran very much on the same lines. It came from the office of a well-known publisher. The Archdeacon was at that time bringing out his “Lectures to Confirmation Candidates.” “Has Selby-Harrison,” I asked, “been publishing a book?” “No,” said Lalage, “but his father has.” “Ah,” I said, “that accounts for this agreement form.” “Quite so,” said Lalage, “he copied it from that, making the necessary changes. Rather piffle, I call that part about enjoying the speeches in the British Empire. It isn’t likely that Tithers would want to enjoy them anywhere else. But there’s a good bit coming. Skip on to number eight.” I skipped and then read again.