William Does His Bit
First edition
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| Author | Richmal Crompton |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
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Publication date
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1941 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) & Audio book |
| OCLC | 810795579[3] |
| Followed by | William Carries On |
William Does His Bit is the 23rd book of children's short stories in the Just William series by Richmal Crompton.
This book contains 10 stories. It was first published in 1941, and the first published versions are now collectors' items and relatively rare.
Like its immediate predecessors and the next two installments this book contains the central theme of World War II and the war effort, which was being fought at the date of this book's original publication.
William hears the family talk about a man called Quisling (William calls him 'Grisling'), who apparently appears to exist in many places at once, helping the Germans. When he learns the man is in fact many men doing the same thing, he sets out to find Quisling and capture him. His search takes him to the village, where at an intersection, two elderly ladies are talking about passwords in whispers. William at once decides to follow the second one, who goes to a school building through the cover of laurel bushes and at a blackened window, William sees an elderly gentleman with many women talking and putting flags on maps. He, believing it to be Grissel's gang plotting propaganda after he hears them make calls about disasters, follows the man to his house, and when he starts mowing his lawn, he rings the police asking them to come, due to stories where the hero is captured but the Police come in the nick of time. William is caught "stealing" plates and cutlery so he can see where Grissel's papers are. The police start to arrest him, as William talks about the man and his doing. The man dismisses the police, rewarding William for his "efforts to the country" with money, a bun and lemonade. William walks home contentedly and tells his mother what happened. His mother does not believe him, and continues sewing.
William decides that he and Ginger should become highwaymen to steal some money to account for money that was lost by them, and by William's bike being removed because he trampled flowers over with it. William and Ginger dress up as what they think highwaymen look like. Their first attempts are useless, but then they steal a man's briefcase, believing it to be full of treasure. It turns out it is full of rocks. Ethel is starting a rockery, and William sells them to her for six pennies. A gentleman visits who happens to be the girl's relation, and says that highwaymen held up his car. William is found out, but all ends well when he sees a movie about highwaymen with the gentleman.
The Brown family is getting stressed out at William's presence. They decide he must be given to one of his relations for a while to keep. William at first is indignant about being kept by his aunt, then he discovers the village she lives in isn't so dull after all... Two elderly gentleman, a colonel and another man find themselves bickering like they did the year before, and the one before that and so on, about their prizes. One breeds good asparagus, and one good peaches. Both vow to win the other's best offerings and grow those plants. William gets most mixed up in the happenings, accidentally wrecking their plants, which finally causes the contest to be called off that year, and decides after his adventures with them, not to be too detailed to his mother about what happened.
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