grace, and after
explaining that he was a bit out of practice, placed a shilling on the
counter and invited the company to give their orders. Everyone asked
for 'the same again,' but the landlord served Easton, Bundy and the
Besotted Wretch with pints instead of half-pints as before, so there
was no change out of the shilling.

'You know, there's a great deal in not bein' used to the board,' said
the Semi-drunk.

'There's no disgrace in bein' beat by a man like 'im, mate,' said
Philpot. ''E's a champion!'

'Yes, there's no mistake about it. 'E throws a splendid ring!' said
Bundy.

This was the general verdict. The Semi-drunk, though beaten, was not
disgraced: and he was so affected by the good feeling manifested by the
company that he presently produced a sixpence and insisted on paying
for another half-pint all round.

Crass had gone outside during this conversation, but he returned in a
few minutes. 'I feel a bit easier now,' he remarked with a laugh as he
took the half-pint glass that the Semi-drunk passed to him with a
shaking hand. One after the other, within a few minutes, the rest
followed Crass's example, going outside and returning almost
immediately: and as Bundy, who was the last to return, came back he
exclaimed:

'Let's 'ave a game of shove-'a'penny.'

'All right,' said Easton, who was beginning to feel reckless. 'But
drink up first, and let's 'ave another.'

He had only sevenpence left, just enough to pay for another pint for
Crass and half a pint for everyone else.

The shove-ha'penny table was a planed mahogany board with a number of
parallel lines scored across it. The game is played by placing the
coin at the end of the board--the rim slightly overhanging the
edge--and striking it with the back part of the palm of the hand,
regulating the force of the blow according to the distance it is
desired to drive the coin.

'What's become of Alf tonight?' inquired Philpot of the landlord whilst
Easton and Bundy were playing. Alf was the barman.

''E's doing a bit of a job down in the cellar; some of the valves gone
a bit wrong. But the missus is comin' down to lend me a hand
presently. 'Ere she is now.'

The landlady--who at this moment entered through the door at the back
of the bar--was a large woman with a highly-coloured countenance and a
tremendous bust, incased in a black dress with a shot silk blouse. She
had several jewelled gold rings on the fingers of each fat white hand,