you keep quiet, but I doubt if he'll 'ave time to see you
even w'en he _is_ done," said the one-eyed one, fiercely.--"D'you like
buns or cake best?"

Tottie was much surprised by the question, but stated at once her
decided preference for cake.

"Look here," said Mrs Square, removing a towel from a large basket.

Tottie looked, and saw that the basket was three-quarters full of buns
and cakes.

"That," said the washer-woman, "is their leavin's. One on 'em called it
the debree of the feast, though what that means is best known to
hisself. For one hour by the clock these literairies went at it, tooth
an' nail, but they failed to get through with all that was purwided,
though they stuffed themselves to their muzzles.--There, 'elp yourself."

Tottie selected a moderate slab of the indigestible cake, and sat down
on a stool to eat it with as much patience as she could muster in the
circumstances.

Peter Pax's remarks, whatever else they might have been considered,
possessed the virtue of brevity. He soon sat down amid much applause,
and Mr Sterling rose to speak.

At this point Tottie, who had cast many anxious glances at a small clock
which hung in the outer porch or vestibule of the hall, entreated Mrs
Square to tell Pax that he was wanted very much indeed.

"I durstn't," said Mrs Square; "it's as much as my sitooation's worth.
I was told by Mr Maylands, the chairman, to allow of no interruptions
nor anythink of the kind."

"But please, ma'am," pleaded Tottie, with such an earnest face that the
woman was touched, "it's a matter of--of--life an' death--at least it
_may_ be so. Oh! do-o-o-o tell 'im he's wanted--by Tottie Bones. Only
say Tottie Bones, that'll be _sure_ to bring 'im out."

"Well--I never!" exclaimed Mrs Square, sticking her fists in her waist
and leaning her head to one side in critical scrutiny of her small
petitioner. "You do seem cock-sure o' your powers. H'm! p'r'aps you're
not far out neither. Well, I'll try it on, though it _may_ cost me a
deal of abuse. You sit there an' see that cats don't get at the
wittles, for the cats in this court are a sharper set than or'nar."

Mrs Square entered the hall, and begged one of the members near the
door to pass up a message--as quietly as possible--to the effect that
Mr Pax was wanted.

This was immediately done by the member shouting, irreverently, that the
secretary's mother "'ad come to take 'im 'ome."

"Order, order! Put 'im out!" from