Page:Minnie's Bishop and Other Stories (1915).djvu/121

 later when he visited Mr. Benson. Then he got to business.

"What time do you and your party intend to start tomorrow?" he asked.

"The earlier the better," said Mr. Benson. "All I want is to get the job over,"

"Eight o'clock?"

"Very well. I'll have my men at the quay at eight."

"You quite understand, of course," said Lieutenant Eckersley, "that I and my men take no part in the proceedings. We're simply there as spectators."

"For the matter of that," said Mr. Benson, "I and my men don't either. We look on, unless we're obliged to afford protection to the rate-collector and the bailiffs."

"Oh," said Lieutenant Eckersley, "I thought you police"

"You were wrong then," said Mr. Benson.

He felt strongly on the subject of the dignity of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and was inclined to resent the tone taken by the naval officer. Lieutenant Eckersley said no more at the time; but later in the evening, speaking to one of his subordinates, he referred to Mr. Benson and his men as "beastly bobbies." So it happened that the party which met next morning on the deck of the Curlew was not a comfortably assorted one. Lieutenant Eckersley and his officers held aloof from Mr. Benson. The sailors showed by their manner that they regarded