Sam caught Lord Tilbury’s personal eye, decided that he had no wish to be under it and shook his head. “The _Home Companion_,” said Lord Tilbury, coming to life, “is a very minor unit of my group of papers.” “Though it has a large circulation,” said Mrs. Hammond loyally. “A very large circulation, of course,” said Lord Tilbury; “but it offers little scope for a young man in your position, anxious to start on a journalistic career. It is not--how shall I put it?--it is not a vital paper, not a paper that really matters.” “In comparison with my brother’s other papers,” said Mrs. Hammond. “In comparison with my other papers, of course.” “I think you are wrong,” said Sam. “I cannot imagine a nobler life work for any man than to help produce Pyke’s _Home Companion_. Talk about spreading sweetness and light, why, Pyke’s _Home Companion_ is the paper that wrote the words and music. Listen to this; ‘A. M. B. (Brixton). You ask me for a simple and inexpensive method of curing corns. Get an ordinary swede, or turnip, cut and dig out a hole in the top, fill the hole with common salt and allow to stand till dissolved. Soften the corn morning and night with this liquid.’” “Starting on the reportorial staff of the _Daily Record_,” said Lord Tilbury, “you would be in a position----” “Just try to realise what that means,” proceeded Sam. “What it amounts to is that the writer of that paragraph has with a stroke of the pen made the world a better place. He has brightened a home. Possibly he has averted serious trouble between man and wife. A. M. B. gets the ordinary swede, digs out the top, pushes in the salt, and a week later she has ceased to bully her husband and beat the baby and is a ray of sunshine about the house--and all through Pyke’s _Home Companion_.” “What my brother means----” said Mrs. Hammond. “Similarly,” said Sam, “with G. D. H. (Tulse Hill), who wants to know how to improve the flavour of prunes. You or I would say that the flavour of prunes was past praying for, that the only thing to do when cornered by a prune was to set your teeth and get it over with. Not so Pyke’s----” “He means----”