Many people
foresaw law-suits, but it was agreed that the _Signal_ had begun
the game of impudence in trapping the _Daily_ lads so as to secure
a holy calm for its much-trumpeted procession.
And Denry had not finished with the _Signal_.
In the special football edition of the _Daily_ was an announcement,
the first, of special Martinmas _fetes_ organised by the _Five
Towns Daily_. And on the same morning every member of the Universal
Thrift Club had received an invitation to the said _fetes_. They
were three--held on public ground at Hanbridge, Bursley, and Longshaw.
They were in the style of the usual Five Towns "wakes"; that is to say,
roundabouts, shows, gingerbread stalls, swings, cocoanut shies. But at
each _fete_ a new and very simple form of "shy" had been erected.
It consisted of a row of small railway signals.
"March up! March up!" cried the shy-men. "Knock down the signal! Knock
down the signal! And a packet of Turkish delight is yours. Knock down
the signal!"
And when you had knocked down the signal the men cried:
"We wrap it up for you in the special Anniversary Number of the
_Signal_."
And they disdainfully tore into suitable fragments copies of the
_Signal_ which had cost Denry & Co.
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