right into it, in that way, are you?"

"Why not?" says Hall. "Brandy's the best thing in the world to settle
your nerves after getting half fuddled on Champagne, my boy; just you
try it--take a good stiff horn. Brown, you see, has _cut_, we must
follow; so let's straighten up and get ready for a start. Here's to 'the
loaves and fishes.'" Jones and Hall took their horns of Cogniac, which
does really make some men sober as judges after they are very drunk on
real or spurious Champagne.

"Well," says Smith, "it's my opinion we'll all be very _tight_ going in
this way, brandy on Champagne; but here goes to the fishes and
loaves--the loaves and fishes, I mean."

The brandy had a rather contrary effect from what it does usually; it
did _settle_ Smith--in five minutes he was so very "boozy" that his chin
bore down upon his breast, he became as "limber as a rag," and snored
like a pair of bagpipes.

"Now, Jones," says Hall, "let's be off. Landlord, get us a gig, wagon,
carriage, cart, any thing, and let's be off; we must be in town
immediately."

"Sorry, gentlemen, but can't oblige you--haven't a vehicle on the
premises!"

"Why, confound it, you don't pretend to say you can't send us into town
to-night, do you?" says Jones, waxing uneasy.

"Haven't you a horse, jackass, mule or a wheelbarrow--any thing, so we
can be carted in, right off, too?" says Hall.

"Can't help it, gentlemen."

"What time do the _cars_ come along?" eagerly inquires Jones.

"About nine o'clock," coolly replies the host.

"Nine fools!" shouted the discomfited alderman. "But this won't do;
come, Jones, no help for it--can't fool us in that way--eight miles to
the City Hall--two hours to do it in; off coat and _let's foot it!_"

* * * * *

The City Hall clock had just struck 7 P. M., the Tea Room was lighted up,
the assembled wisdom of the municipal government had their toadies, and
reporters and lookers-on were there; the room was quite full. Brown was
there, in the best of spirits, and the locos all fairly snorted with
glee at the scientific manner in which Brown had "done" Jones and Hall
out of their votes! The business of the evening was climaxing: the whigs
missing two of their number, were in quite a spasm of doubt and fear.
The chairman called the meeting to order. The roll was called: seven
"good and true" locos answered the call. Six whigs had answered: the
seventh was being called: the locos were grin