Jewish Voluntary Schools, Sir."
"And that full company extending behind the three elms to the south-west?"
"Private day-schools, Sir, I think. Judging distance, Sir."
"Can you come with us?"
"Certainly, Sir."
"Here's the raw material at the beginning of the process," said Bayley to
me.
We strolled on towards the strains of "A Bicycle Built for Two," breathed
jerkily into a mouth-organ by a slim maid of fourteen. Some dozen infants
with clenched fists and earnest legs were swinging through the extension
movements which that tune calls for. A stunted hawthorn overhung the
little group, and from a branch a dirty white handkerchief flapped in the
breeze. The girl blushed, scowled, and wiped the mouth-organ on her sleeve
as we came up.
"We're all waiting for our big bruvvers," piped up one bold person in blue
breeches--seven if he was a day.
"It keeps 'em quieter, Sir," the maiden lisped. "The others are with the
regiments."
"Yeth, and they've all lots of blank for _you_," said the gentleman in
blue breeches ferociously.
"Oh, Artie! 'Ush!" the girl cried.
"But why have they lots of blank for _us_?" Bayley asked. Blue Breeches
stood firm.
"'Cause--'cause the Guard's goin' to fight the Schools this afternoon; but
my big bruvver says they'll be dam-well surprised."
"_Artie!_" The girl leaped towards him. "You know your ma said I was to
smack----"
"Don't.
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