ook umbrella;
Waiter No. 17 took rubber coat;
Boy No. 1 took cane;
Boy No. 2 took muffler;
Boy No. 3 took one of his mittens;
Boy No. 4 took the other;
Boy No. 5 took cigar-case.

After a long and laborious dinner they rose and smoked.

[Illustration: Cicero Against Verres.]

[Illustration: Sac-r-r-r-re.]

The head waiter informed Mr. Figgs that with his permission a
deputation would wait on him. Mr. Figgs was surprised but
graciously invited the deputation to walk in. They accordingly
walked in. Seventeen men and five boys.

"What did they want?"

"Oh, only a _pourboire_ with which to drink his Excellency's
noble health."

"Really they did his Excellency too much honor. Were they not
mistaken in their man?"

"Oh no. They had carried his luggage into the hotel."

Upon this Mr. Figgs gave strong proof of poor moral training, by
breaking out into a volley of Western oaths, which shocked one
half of the deputation, and made the other half grin.

Still they continued respectful but firm, and reiterated their
demand.

Mr. Figgs called for the landlord. That gentleman was in bed.
For his wife. She did not attend to the business. For the head
waiter. The spokesman of the deputation, with a polite bow,
informed him that the head waiter stood before him and was quite
at his service.

The scene was ended by the sudden entrance of Buttons, who,
motioning to Mr. Figgs, proceeded to give each waiter a douceur.
One after another took the proffered coin, and without looking
at it, thanked the generous donor with a profusion of bows.

Five minutes after the retreating form of Buttons had vanished
through the door, twenty-persons, consisting of men and boys,
stood staring at one another in blank amazement.

Anger followed; then
sac-r-r-r-_r-r-r_-R-R-R-_R-Re_!

He had given each one a _centime_.

But the customs of the hotel were not to be changed by the shabby
conduct of one mean-minded person. When the Club prepared to retire
for the night they were taken to some rooms opening in to each other.
Five waiters led the way; one waiter to each man, and each carried a
pair of tall wax-candles. Mr. Figgs's waiter took him to his room,
laid down the lights, and departed.

The doors which connected the rooms were all opened, and Mr.
Figgs walked through to see about something. He saw the Doctor,
the Senator, Buttons, and Dick, each draw the short, well-used
stump of a wax-candle from his coat pocket and grav