a drink 'for the good of the
house'.

The only other occupant of the public bar--previous to the entrance of
Crass and his mates--was a semi-drunken man, who appeared to be a
house-painter, sitting on the form near the shove-ha'penny board. He
was wearing a battered bowler hat and the usual shabby clothes. This
individual had a very thin, pale face, with a large, high-bridged nose,
and bore a striking resemblance to the portraits of the first Duke of
Wellington. He was not a regular customer here, having dropped in
casually about two o'clock and had remained ever since. He was
beginning to show the effects of the drink he had taken during that
time.

As Crass and the others came in they were hailed with enthusiasm by the
landlord and the Besotted Wretch, while the semi-drunk workman regarded
them with fishy eyes and stupid curiosity.

'Wot cheer, Bob?' said the landlord, affably, addressing Crass, and
nodding familiarly to the others. ''Ow goes it?'

'All reet me ole dear!' replied Crass, jovially. ''Ow's yerself?'

'A.1,' replied the 'Old Dear', getting up from his chair in readiness
to execute their orders.

'Well, wot's it to be?' inquired Philpot of the others generally.

'Mine's a pint o' beer,' said Crass.

'Half for me,' said Bundy.

'Half o' beer for me too,' replied Easton.

'That's one pint, two 'arves, and a pint o' porter for meself,' said
Philpot, turning and addressing the Old Dear.

While the landlord was serving these drinks the Besotted Wretch
finished his beer and set the empty glass down on the counter, and
Philpot observing this, said to him:

''Ave one along o' me?'

'I don't mind if I do,' replied the other.

When the drinks were served, Philpot, instead of paying for them,
winked significantly at the landlord, who nodded silently and
unobtrusively made an entry in an account book that was lying on one of
the shelves. Although it was only Monday and he had been at work all
the previous week, Philpot was already stony broke. This was accounted
for by the fact that on Saturday he had paid his landlady something on
account of the arrears of board and lodging money that had accumulated
while he was out of work; and he had also paid the Old Dear four
shillings for drinks obtained on tick during the last week.

'Well, 'ere's the skin orf yer nose,' said Crass, nodding to Philpot,
and taking a long pull at the pint glass which the latter had handed to
him.

Similar appropriat