fail them at the last moment. As a matter of fact he did
venture a remark that he felt very ill, and would go to bed. That was
during the afternoon. But the Committee of Management had made it
clear that he was to be at the dinner, and that if he went to bed he
would probably be there in pyjamas.

The Committee called for Mr. Josiah Williams at the Sceptre at 8.30,
formally to escort him to Bungem's. They discovered Bindle in the
happiest of moods and full evening-dress. In his shirt-front blazed
the "Moonagoona star, the second finest diamond that Australia had ever
produced." On his head was an opera hat, and over his arm a light
overcoat. The party walked over to Bungem's, passing through a
considerable crowd that had collected outside the Sceptre.

At Bungem's the guests lined up on each side from the pavement up the
stairs into the reception-room, and as the guest of honour arrived
arm-in-arm with Tom Little they broke out into "For He's a Jolly Good
Fellow," led by an impromptu band consisting of a concertina, three
mouth-organs, six whistles, eighteen combs, and a tea-tray.

Dick Little, who had arrived by a later train than that carrying
Bindle, was in the chair. He was an old St. Joseph's man and his
memory was still green, although he had gone down some years
previously. On his right sat Bindle, the guest of the evening; next to
him were Reginald Graves and Guggers.

When all the guests were seated the chairman's mallet called for order.

"Gentlemen, you are too graceless a crew for grace, but you understand
the laws of hospitality, that much I grant you. It is our object to
make our distinguished visitor, Mr. Josiah Williams of Moonagoona,
thoroughly welcome and at home, and to remind him of the sylvan glades
of Moonagoona." Then, turning to Bindle, "Am I right, sir, in assuming
that Moonagoona has sylvan glades?"

"'It it first time," replied Bindle. "Mooniest place I was ever in.
It used to be called Moonaspoona till the birth-rate dropped." This
remark was greeted with a roar of approval.

"We will open the proceedings with a representation of the Australian
Bushmen's war-cry, kindly contributed by certain Rhodes scholars and
others from the Antipodes."

The war-cry was not a success, but the meal that followed savoured of
the palmiest days of Bungem's. The food was plentiful and excellently
cooked; the wine more plentiful and generously served.

Bindle's greatest concern was his w