Shall heed the altered price, Shall change with changing times, And run some trains more slow than mice, Stopping between each station once or twice, Fitted with lecterns of a fair device To help me read my _Chimes._ EVOE. * * * * * "THE ORGANIZER, MARCH, 1914. TROUBLE always follows misunderstanding. The worst kind of trouble comes from failure to realize the extent of one's capacity. LEARN YOUR REAL VALUE. PRICE TWOPENCE." Even this doesn't encourage us. * * * * * ORANGES AND LEMONS. III.--SETTLING DOWN. The villa was high up on the hill, having (as Simpson was to point out several times later) Mentone on its left hand and Monte Carlo on its right. A long winding path led up through its garden of olives to the front door, and through the mimosa trees which flanked this door we could see already a flutter of white aprons. The staff was on the loggia waiting to greet us. We halted a moment out of sight of the ladies above and considered ourselves. It came to us with a sudden shock that we were a very large party. "I suppose," said Archie to Simpson, "they do expect all of us and not only you? You told them that about half London was coming?" "We're only six," said Myra, "because I've just counted again, but we seem about twenty." "It's quite all right," said Simpson cheerfully. "I said we'd be six." "But six in a letter is much smaller than six of us like this; and when they see our luggage----" "Let's go back," I suggested, suddenly nervous. To be five guests of the guest of a man you have never met is delicate work. At this critical moment Archie assumed command. He is a Captain in the Yeomanry and has tackled bigger jobs than this in his time. "We must get ourselves into proper order," he said. "Simpson, the villa has been lent to _you_; you must go first. Dahlia and I come next. When we arrive you will introduce us as your friends, Mr. and Mrs. Mannering. Then turning to Myra you say, 'Mr. Mannering's sister; and this,' you add, 'is her husband.' Then--er--Thomas----" "It will be difficult to account for Thomas," I said. "Thomas comes at the end. He hangs back a little at first; and then if he sees that there is going to be any awkwardness about him, he can pretend he's come on the wrong night, and apologise and go home again." "If Thomas goes, I go," said Myra dramatically. "I have another idea," I said. "Thomas hides here for a bit. We introduce ourselves and settle in, and have lunch; and after lunch we take a stroll in the garden, and to our great surprise discover Thomas. 'Thomas,' we say, '_you_ here? Dear old chap, we thought you were in England. How splendid! Where are you staying? Oh, but you must stop with _us_; we can easily have a bed put up for you in the garage.' And then----" "Not after lunch," said Thomas; "before lunch."