"See, some one is approaching," observed the Sage of Fleet Street, whose eye-sight was better than that of his companion. And sure enough a lively young officer at this moment put in an appearance, and saluted. "Glad to see you both," said he; "and, by order of the General Commander-in-Chief, you are to make what use you please of me. I am entirely at your service." "Why, you speak English!" exclaimed _Mr. Punch_. [Illustration] "That is so!" returned the young officer in American; "and why not? Besides I know French, Russian, German, and all the languages spoken on your little globe, to say nothing of the dialects used by those who inhabit the rest of the planets. It's our system. Nowadays, a man in the Service is expected to be up in everything. If he wasn't, how on earth could he fight, or do anything else in a satisfactory fashion? And now let us bustle along." "But first," put in TIME, who did not relish being silent, "will you kindly tell us what those masses of colour are?" [Illustration] "Certainly. They are troops. We put them in scarlet in peace, but they appear in their shirtsleeves the moment war's declared. Novel idea, isn't it?" And then the pleasant-spoken young officer led the way to a lift, and, touching a button, the three descended from the top of the mountain to the valley beneath. "On the counterweight system," explained the A.D.C. "We cribbed the idea from Folkestone, and Lynmouth. And here, _Mr. Punch_, is something that will interest you. We absolutely howled at that sketch of yours showing the mechanical policeman. Don't you know--old woman puts a penny in the slot and stops the traffic? And here's the idea developed. See that mechanical sentry. I put a penny in the slot, and he pays me the usual compliment. He shoulders arms, as I am only a captain--worse luck! If I were of field rank he would come smartly to the present." And sure enough the mechanical soldier saluted. "It's not half a bad idea," continued the agreeable A.D.C. "You see sentry-go is awfully unpopular, and a figure of iron in times of peace is every bit as good as a man of brass. The pence go to the Canteen Fund along with the fines for drunkenness. It seems reasonable enough that a fellow, if he wants to be saluted, should pay for the swagger. If a fellow likes to turn out the guard, he can do it with sixpence--but then of course he hasn't the right unless his rank permits it--see?" By this time the mechanical soldier had returned to the slope, and was parading his beat in a somewhat jerky manner. "And now what would you fellows like to do?" asked the A.D.C. "Pardon the familiarity, but nowadays age doesn't count, does it? Everybody's young. One of the best _Juliets_ I ever knew had turned sixty, and played to a _Romeo_ who was twenty years her senior. Nothing like that down below, I suppose?" "Nothing," returned _Mr. Punch_. "So I have always understood. Well, where shall we go first?"