said Lazyman.

"Won't they," answered Outofwork. "I'll warrant if the Sergeant likes to
play there's no landlord'll stop him, ay, Sergeant?"

"Well, I believe," said the Sergeant, "as one of the Queen's servants, I
have the privilege of playing when I like."

"Good," said Harry, "and I'll be a Queen's man too, so out with the
shilling, Sergeant."

"Wait till the morning," said the Sergeant.

"No," said Harry. "I've had enough waiting. I'm on, give me the
shilling."

The Sergeant said, "Well, let me see, what height are you?" and he stood
up beside him.

"Ah!" he said, "I think I can get you in," saying which he gave him a
shilling; such a bright coin, that it seemed to have come fresh from the
Queen's hand.

Then the Sergeant took out some beautiful bright ribbons which he was
understood to say (but did _not_ say) the Queen had given him that
morning. Then he rang the bell, and the buxom waitress appearing he
asked for the favour of a needle and thread, which, the radiant damsel
producing, with her own fair fingers she sewed the ribbons on to Harry's
cap, smiling with admiration all the while. Even this little incident
was not without its effect on the observant "head witness," and he felt
an unaccountable fascination to have the same office performed by the
same fair hands on his own hat.

Then, without saying more, a box of dominoes was produced, and Joe soon
found himself, he did not know how, the Sergeant's partner, while Lazyman
and Outofwork were opposed to them.

"Is it pooty good livin in your trade, Mr. Sergeant?" asked Joe.

"Not bad," said the Sergeant; "that is five-one, I think"--referring to
the play.

"Rump steaks and ingons aint bad living," said Outofwork.

"No," said the Sergeant, "and there's nothing I like better than a good
thick mutton chop for breakfast--let me see, what's the game?"

"Ah!" said Joe, smacking his lips, "mutton chops is the best thing out; I
aint had one in my mouth, though, for a doocid long time; I likes em with
plenty o' fat an gravy loike."

"You see," said the Sergeant, "when you've been out for a two or three
mile ride before breakfast in the fresh country air, a chap wants
something good for breakfast, and a mutton chop's none too much for him."

"No," answered Joe, "I could tackle three."

"Yes," said Sergeant Goodtale, "but some are much larger than others."

"So em be," agreed Joe.

"What's the game," enquired the Sergeant.

"Two-one," said