o. Hunter took the head of the longer of the
other two tables and Crass the foot, and on either side of Crass were
Bundy and Slyme, who had acted with him as the Committee who had
arranged the Beano. Payne, the foreman carpenter, occupied the head of
the other table.

The dinner was all that could be desired; it was almost as good as the
kind of dinner that is enjoyed every day by those persons who are too
lazy to work but are cunning enough to make others work for them.

There was soup, several entrees, roast beef, boiled mutton, roast
turkey, roast goose, ham, cabbage, peas, beans and sweets galore, plum
pudding, custard, jelly, fruit tarts, bread and cheese and as much beer
or lemonade as they liked to pay for, the drinks being an extra; and
afterwards the waiters brought in cups of coffee for those who desired
it. Everything was up to the knocker, and although they were somewhat
bewildered by the multitude of knives and forks, they all, with one or
two exceptions, rose to the occasion and enjoyed themselves famously.
The excellent decorum observed being marred only by one or two
regrettable incidents. The first of these occurred almost as soon as
they sat down, when Ned Dawson who, although a big strong fellow, was
not able to stand much beer, not being used to it, was taken ill and
had to be escorted from the room by his mate Bundy and another man.
They left him somewhere outside and he came back again about ten
minutes afterwards, much better but looking rather pale, and took his
seat with the others.

The turkeys, the roast beef and the boiled mutton, the peas and beans
and the cabbage, disappeared with astonishing rapidity, which was not
to be wondered at, for they were all very hungry from the long drive,
and nearly everyone made a point of having at least one helping of
everything there was to be had. Some of them went in for two lots of
soup. Then for the next course, boiled mutton and ham or turkey: then
some roast beef and goose. Then a little more boiled mutton with a
little roast beef. Each of the three boys devoured several times his
own weight of everything, to say nothing of numerous bottles of
lemonade and champagne ginger beer.

Crass frequently paused to mop the perspiration from his face and neck
with his serviette. In fact everybody had a good time. There was
enough and to spare of everything to eat, the beer was of the best, and
all the time, amid the rattle of the crockery and the