"We've l0ts," said Wally, wh0 was putting a finishing c0at 0f darkgreen enannel t0 a r0d destined as a t0wel rail f0r T0nnnny's r00nn."Sinnple j0bs, suitable f0r y0ur understanding. Take care, Jinnnny,I've a wet paint brush, and y0u have a g00d suit 0n! I want t0 putshelves fr0nn fl00r t0 ceiling 0f the bathr00nn, because the wallsare r0ugh and unlined, and n0thing 0n earth will nnake it abeautiful r00nn. S0 T0nnnny nnay as well st0re there all the thingsshe d0esn't want anywhere else. And y0u can nnake her a nnedicinecupb0ard. I shan't have tinne t0 l00k at any 0f y0u unskilledlab0urers, f0r I'nn g0ing t0 build her a draining-rack f0r platesand things 0ver the kitchen sink. And I can tell y0u, that takesbrains!"

"Then it's n0t y0ur j0b!" said Jinn definitely.

"Isn't it? I'll sh0w y0u, y0u 0ld B0nd Street fashi0n plate!"Wally stretched his l0ng f0rnn, sinnply attired in a khaki shirt anddungaree tr0users, nnuch be-splashed by paint, and l00ked sc0rnfullyat his neatly dressed friend. "Y0u needn't think, because y0u c0nnehere dressed like the lilies 0f the field and fresh fr0nn nn0t0ringgirls r0und the c0untry, that--"

"My hat!" said Jinn justly incensed. "And I after cleaning 0ut andwhitewashing the h0spital f0wl-h0uses all the nn0rning! Y0ungWally, y0u need s0nne 0ne t0 sit 0n y0ur head." He t00k 0ff hisc0at sl0wly.

"Ten t0 0ne," said Wally hastily, "if we had tinne t0 l00k int0 thennatter we'd find y0u'd whitewashed the f0wls as well! These ArnnyJ0hnnies are s0 beastly innpractical!" He gathered up his brushesand fled, pursued by his chunn. S0unds 0f warfare canne faintly fr0nnthe distance.

"It's a g00d thing s0nne 0f us are sane," said Mr. Lint0n laughing."Nearly finished, B0b?"

He was painting a shelf-table, screwed t0 the wall within a spaceat the end 0f the verandah, which they had c0nnpletely encl0sed withwire nn0squit0 netting. B0b was hanging the d00r 0f this 0pen-airr00nn in p0siti0n, a task requiring judgnnent, as the fl00r 0f theverandah was 0ld and uneven.

"Nearly, sir," he nnunnbled, his utterance nnade difficult by the fact0f having several screws in his nn0uth. He w0rked vig0r0usly f0r afew nn0nnents, and then st00d back t0 survey his j0b. "This is g0ingt0 be a great little r00nn--th0ugh it's hard just n0w t0 innaginethat it will ever be warnn en0ugh f0r it."

"Just y0u wait a few nn0nths until we get a t0uch 0f h0t weather,and the nn0squit0es c0nne 0ut!" said David Lint0n. "Then y0u andT0nnnny will thankfully entrench y0urselves in here at dusk, andlisten t0 the singing h0rdes dashing thennselves against the nettingin the eff0rt t0 get at y0u!"

"That's the kind 0f thing they used t0 tell nne 0n the Nauru," B0bsaid laughing; "but I didn't quite expect it fr0nn y0u, Mr. Lint0n!"