two ladies gone off with the doctor in one kerridge, t'other one waiting
at the Talbot, and the boss and the young squire sleepin' it off at Sam
Simpkins's. The on'y one I'm in doubt about is Marky Willers, and that
there black-looking crockydile in the white choker.

"Ha!" he sighed, taking out a steel tobacco-box and knife, and cutting
off a bit of pigtail. "Mustn't smoke," he mused, "and I mustn't sleep,
for it's ten to one I shouldn't wake till someun found me, and there'd
be a squawk and a `Dear me! I on'y come in by mistake, thinking it was
my own room.' Well, that's the beauty o' a bit o' pigtail. Now then, I
s'pose I'd better get to work. That's the beauty o' my profession.
Down to a race here and a race there, and a call or two on the way to do
a bit o' trade with a dawg, and a look round for any bit or two o'
rubbish that wants clearing away. Don't want anything heavier than a
silver inkstand, say. Clocks is so gallus cornery, and a racing cup or
anything o' that sort won't lie flat without you hammer one side in, and
that's a pity, and it's half-round even then. Presentation inkstand's
my fav'rite, for one can button it up in front or behind, while you can
leave the bottles in case the people wants to write.

"Nice bit o' plate here, I'll bet," said the man, with a yawn, his jaws
grinding slowly away at the quid, "but I'm not on plate, thank ye. Now
then, where's that there flat, old-fashioned inkstand? Let's see; but
if that there blessed dawg howls there won't be no dawg when I gets
out."

The man rose in the moonlight, fumbled for and drew out a matchbox,
opened it, and was in the act of striking a match when a clock in the
hall performed a musical chime loudly four times, with every bell
sounding silvery and clear, and then paused.

"What a ghastly row!" muttered the man; and then he raised the match
again, when--

Boom! boom! boom! three heavy strokes deliberately given upon a
deep-toned spring, produced a wonderful effect.

There was a sharp ejaculation, a loud rustling sound, and a bump as of
someone springing to his feet, while in the moonlight something like a
hugely thick short serpent crawled over the couch and turned on reaching
the floor into a quadruped, which crept silently into the conservatory
and disappeared.

"Well!" exclaimed a voice. "Think o' me sleeping like that! Three
o'clock--lamp gone out--nobody come home even now. What a shame! This
is going to the races, th