page 41

About a Mug.

Below, the river "murmured at its own sweet will," forming a right-angled pool, where it was turned aside by the bush-clad cliffs. Sixty feet above, among some scattered straight-stemmed trees, a party of eight, mugs in hand, watched the "Billy." However peacefully the river flowed, it was evident that its peacefulness was not shared by the watchers. Furtive glances travelled towards the "vessel" which the Man from Erin held in his hand, and then back to the Billy, finally resting on the Man from Erin. They were thinking hard—all save the Man from Erin.

"I bag the lid," from an individual who had forgotten to bring a "mug," as requested. He placed more dry sticks under the Billy as it started to steam. And glanced occasionally towards the Man form Erin as if in doubt. But the Man from Erin was watching the Billy.

"There she goes; put the tea in," remarked a thirsty one to the man with the tea-bags. The face of the Man from Erin brightened as the lid closed on the bags, but he still watched the Billy.

"Where's the milk?" The party's gaze turned to the man who was trying with more, energy that science to punch a hole in the condensed-milk tin; silently all watched him—all save the Man from Erin. He watched the Billy.

"Off with it." Eager hands swung the Billy off the fire and extracted the tea-bags. The Man Erin moved closer, but he still watched the Billy. As the cord connected the milk-tin with the tea, but the milk showed a marked reluctance to part company with the tin.

"The man who opened that tin ought to be shot," volunteered the tall one stirring the tea with dead twig.

"Make a bigger hole," wisely remarked the Scot, whose appetite, whetted by the morning swim, had caused him to feel that his last breakfast was a thing of the dim and hazy past. A further surgical operation was then commenced on the tin.

Meanwhile the Man from Erin watched the Billy. The others watched the Mar from Erin—and calculated.

page 42

'If X is greater than Y, can Y-X be greater that O?" murmured a brother Scot, with a miniature mug, and glanced apprehensively towards the Man from Erin. But the Man from Erin was watching the Billy.

"Is a bucket a mug within the meaning of the Act?" and the stirrer of the tea glanced nervously at the Man who still watched the Billy with a happy smile.

"Can a muglike-bucket or a bucketlike-mug be called 'a mug'? We were asked to bring "a mug," whispered the man with the condensed-milk tin in a tone of considerable doubt; and he, too, glanced nervously at the Man from Erin. The latter's face grew brighter as the milk disappeared into the Billy. His eyes twinkled—but he never took off the Billy.

"Does the constitution——." but the secretary had left the constitution at home.

As the milk whitened the tea, the Man from Erin moved still closer to the Billy. The Scot grasped ms miniature mug tightly, and the light of a sudden resolve came into his eyes.

"That's enough milk; anyone can add more if he wants it." And the Man from Erin prepared to transfer the contents of the Billy into his—vessel. But the miniature mug dived and rose triumphant as he started to pour, and the Scot retired with his prize. The remainder watched.

". . . to me Little remains," quoted a timid voice; but the Man from Erin still poured.

"Five loaves and two fishes,—is the age of miracles past?" questioned another.

"Can X-Y be positive if Y=infinity," was the only reply.

The Man from Erin watched his "mug"; the rest watched it too, and wondered.

"' Tho' much is taken . . ." and he relinquished the Billy. (Chorus.) "A-h:"

The Billy wasn't empty,——But the "mug" wasn't full.

* * * * *

Rumour has it that the biggest "mug" (enamel) in the 5th Regiment's Camp was in a certain tent of the O.T.C.—but that is another story.

Piri Kerei.