rest, after a tardy but good-humored progress, they were
rewarded with a sight neither had hoped for.

The thickest of the crowd was swaying round a large shop. It was termed
the emporium, and almost merited the title. The happy anarchs had
smashed every atom of the plate-glass, careless of the rate-payers, and
then had proceeded to abolish such of the fittings as offended their
esthetic sense. In the center of the window-space, standing on a chair,
was a cheerful striker, conducting a kind of auction. More strictly, it
was a charitable distribution, for no one made any effort to pay for the
goods received. The shop was a miniature Whiteley's, embracing
everything from a perambulator to a parachute, and it was odd to watch
the incongruity of some of the articles distributed. One man, for
example, was given a child's feeding-bottle, and accepted it without
demur; with a bellow of approval he seized it by the rubber tube and
whirled it round, shouting, till the tube broke and the bottle flew off
at a tangent. Another received half a pianola--the whole was too much
for him to carry, and kindly friends helped him to bisect it with clubs
and bars. A third, bemused with beer, staggered off with a dozen volumes
of _Comparative Religion_, murmuring brokenly. "Suthin' f'r the kids to
read," and dropping at intervals his burden in the mud. It was a
pleasant illustration of good feeling and unselfishness.

A few moments after Tony and Robert had penetrated to the front,
ready-made clothing was being distributed with a lavish hand. The
auctioneer would seize a suit, or a part of a suit, from the nearest
peg, and with humorous or profane comments throw it to one of the crowd.
"Who wants a waistcoat?" he was crying presently; "a regular fancy
article, double-wove, stamped on every bleeding yard! Just the thing to
fetch the girls! Just the thing to wear of a Sunday! and when the
bloom's orf you can use it as an 'earth-rug or a tea-cozy! Just the
thing--here y'are!" and he flung it to an outstretched hand.

"Now's our chance if we want a change!" whispered Robert. He meant it as
a joke, and trembled as he saw Tony's face light up with amusement.
"Don't be a fool!" he whispered at once. "These chaps are simply
mad----"

"Could you oblige me with a suit?" asked Tony suavely, but in the
clearest tones. The crowd turned at the university accent. Hitherto they
had been too busy to notice the new arrival, but as they observed the
opera h