and then it was that something just a little bit unusual did happen, something not quite right. a small thing. but the colonel had told him to report anything about anything, no matter how insignificant, that struck him as a little queer.

it was just that with all the people in his head, and the arrivals and departures, there was a small group that was not of the pattern.

every minute hundreds left by death and arrived by birth. and now there was a small group, seven persons; they arrived into the world, but they were not born into the world.

so anthony went to tell colonel cooper that something had occurred to his mind that was a little bit odd.

but damn-the-dander-headed-two-and-four-legged-devils, there were the kids and the dogs in the street again, yipping and hooting and chanting:

"tony the tin man. tony the tin man."