oor, and turned out to be Willie Fairfield,
of the Flying Blues, who had just called to let us know he had received
a telegram from Edinburgh announcing the defeat of the Hibernian in the
protested match with Dumbarton, by six goals to two.

Willie, it may be mentioned, had drawn the Hibernian in our "sweep," and
was, I may inform all concerned, well pleased with his luck when the
ticket came out the bag; but now much crestfallen. Bill Weldon, however,
who had secured Dumbarton in the same drawing, jumped off his chair at
the success of the club he had secured, and remarked--"Look here, boys,
Dumbarton are just about good enough to win the Association Cup, and
I'll take evens on't." "Done," said a chorus of voices, and Mrs. Blank's
parlour was for a few minutes transformed into a betting house on a
small scale.

We had a long chat as to the respective merits of the Rangers and
Dumbarton, who were to play their tie over again, in consequence of some
informality, and after draining Jack's bottle, were accompanied to the
door with solemn injunctions not to kick up a row on the stairs.

Weeks passed after this little incident, and the clubs left in our
"sweep" were getting small by degrees and beautifully less. The Rangers,
Partick, South-Western, Northern, 3rd L.R.V., Arthurlie, Kilmarnock
Portland, Alexandra Athletic, Thornliebank, Heart of Midlothian, and
even the plucky little Clyde were cleared off the list, and the Queen's
Park had their own ado with Kilmarnock Athletic, and only beat that
sturdy Ayrshire Club by three goals to two. All that now remained in the
tie, in fact, were Q.P. and Dumbarton.

It was Weldon and Pate Brown for it now, and both began to dream of a
good pocketful of "sovs."

Pate, who was engaged to charming little Lizzie Green, had been living
very carefully for a time in prospect of shortly calling Lizzie his own,
was only now a casual visitor to Cook's lodgings. One evening, on his
way home from Ball & Field's, Pate began to reckon up his chances of
winning the "sweep."

"One hundred and five subscribers at a 'sov.' a-piece," said he, "why
that makes L105. The odd 'fiver' will pay all the expenses, and if the
Q.P. win the Cup, why all that will be mine. Oh! glorious Q.P.,
invincible Q.P., you must and shall win the Cup," raved excited Pate.
"Lizzie, my own dear lassie, I have not told you about my speculation,
nor will I till the tie is over, and we'll get married this summer yet."

I d