in one hand.

"And is it to be printed in silver?" Edwin asked.

Mr Peake took a few more puffs.

"Aye!"

When he had stared further for a long time at the card, his hand moved
slowly with it towards Edwin, and Edwin resumed possession of it.

Mrs Louisa Loggerheads had now vanished.

"Missis has gone," said Big James.

"Has her?" muttered Mr Peake.

Edwin rose to leave, though unwillingly; but Big James asked him in
polite reproach whether he should not stay for the first song. He
nodded, encouraged; and sat down. He did not know that the uppermost
idea in Big James's mind for an hour past had been that Edwin would hear
him sing.

Mr Peake lifted his glass, held it from him, approached his lips
towards it, and emptied it at a draught. He then glanced round and said
thickly--

"Gentlemen all, Mester Smallrice, Mester Harracles, Mester Rampick, and
Mester Yarlett will now oblige with one o' th' ould favourites."

There was some applause, a few coats were removed, and Mr Peake fixed
himself in a contemplative attitude.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

THREE.

Messrs. Arthur Smallrice, Abraham Harracles, Jos Rawnpike, and James
Yarlett rose, stepped heavily on to the little platform, and stood in a
line with their hands in their pockets. "As a bird is known by its
note--" was hidden by the rampart of their shoulders. They had no
music. They knew the music; they had sung it a thousand times. They
knew precisely the effects which they wished to produce, and the means
of production. They worked together like an inspired machine. Mr
Arthur Smallrice gave a rapid glance into a corner, and from that corner
a concertina spoke--one short note. Then began, with no hesitating
shuffling preliminaries nor mute consultations, the singing of that
classic quartet, justly celebrated from Hull to Wigan and from
Northallerton to Lichfield, "Loud Ocean's Roar." The thing was
performed with absolute assurance and perfection. Mr Arthur Smallrice
did the yapping of the short waves on the foam-veiled rocks, and Big
James in fullest grandeur did the long and mighty rolling of the deep.
It was majestic, terrific, and overwhelming. Many bars before the close
Edwin was thrilled, as by an exquisite and vast revelation. He tingled
from head to foot. He had never heard any singing like it, or any
singing in any way comparable to it. He had never guessed that song
held such po