r and a wide-brimmed bowler hat.

"Hello, Crofton!" said Mr. Henchy to the fat man. "Talk of the devil..."

"Where did the boose come from?" asked the young man. "Did the cow
calve?"

"O, of course, Lyons spots the drink first thing!" said Mr. O'Connor,
laughing.

"Is that the way you chaps canvass," said Mr. Lyons, "and Crofton and I
out in the cold and rain looking for votes?"

"Why, blast your soul," said Mr. Henchy, "I'd get more votes in five
minutes than you two'd get in a week."

"Open two bottles of stout, Jack," said Mr. O'Connor.

"How can I?" said the old man, "when there's no corkscrew?"

"Wait now, wait now!" said Mr. Henchy, getting up quickly. "Did you ever
see this little trick?"

He took two bottles from the table and, carrying them to the fire, put
them on the hob. Then he sat down again by the fire and took another
drink from his bottle. Mr. Lyons sat on the edge of the table, pushed
his hat towards the nape of his neck and began to swing his legs.

"Which is my bottle?" he asked.

"This, lad," said Mr. Henchy.

Mr. Crofton sat down on a box and looked fixedly at the other bottle on
the hob. He was silent for two reasons. The first reason, sufficient in
itself, was that he had nothing to say; the second reason was that
he considered his companions beneath him. He had been a canvasser for
Wilkins, the Conservative, but when the Conservatives had withdrawn
their man and, choosing the lesser of two evils, given their support to
the Nationalist candidate, he had been engaged to work for Mr. Tiemey.

In a few minutes an apologetic "Pok!" was heard as the cork flew out
of Mr. Lyons' bottle. Mr. Lyons jumped off the table, went to the fire,
took his bottle and carried it back to the table.

"I was just telling them, Crofton," said Mr. Henchy, "that we got a good
few votes today."

"Who did you get?" asked Mr. Lyons.

"Well, I got Parkes for one, and I got Atkinson for two, and got Ward
of Dawson Street. Fine old chap he is, too--regular old toff, old
Conservative! 'But isn't your candidate a Nationalist?' said he. 'He's a
respectable man,' said I. 'He's in favour of whatever will benefit this
country. He's a big ratepayer,' I said. 'He has extensive house property
in the city and three places of business and isn't it to his own
advantage to keep down the rates? He's a prominent and respected
citizen,' said I, 'and a Poor Law Guardian, and he doesn't belong to any
party, good, bad, or indi