"I’ve spent a profitable afternoon," said Eves, returning to his seat on the bench. "Don’t think much of Pudlington, but an enquiring mind like mine can pick up pearls anywhere.  I was strolling along when I came to an uncommonly ugly unfinished building, with ’Literary Institute’ carved over the door.  Some fellows were unloading chairs from a cart, and carrying them in.  I went in too, and found your respectable friend the local builder there, superintending the fitting of some gas-burners. ’Getting ready for the meeting to-morrow?’ I said to him. ’Ay, sure, sir,’ said he.  ’Town Hall’s occypied by Food Controller and Fuel Controller, and I don’t know what all, so the meeting’s to be held here, though unfinished.’  ’Rather a cold place,’ I said.  ’Bless ’ee, we’ll hot ’em up to-morrow,’ said he.  ’The walls will sweat like you never see.  We’ve got a proper fine furnace down underneath, and the only pity is I haven’t got the ceiling plastered; ’twould have dried a bit.’ Whereupon I mentioned your proposed experiment with your fire extinguisher, and the old boy became cordial at once when I told him you were a friend of mine.  You’ve evidently impressed him, Bob."