"Cheer up, Mrs. Trenchard," said Eves, hastily, spying a tear.  "I’m sorry for the rats, from what you’ve told us of Joe.  I’m sure you want your tea after your long day. We want ours, I can tell you; and after tea, Templeton will give you a demonstration of this splendid invention. I say, Bob," he added, when Mrs. Trenchard had gone into the house, "while they’re making tea there’ll be just time for you to cut down to the village and buy some firelighters at old Noakes’s.  I don’t suppose he’d serve me.  Hurry up."