th due honours, after which the chairman rose and addressed the
company thus:

"Most honourable and august members and guests of the Wonder Club, you
will all allow that the gallant captain has amply expiated his offence.
There is, however, an individual present who has been guilty of the same
offence as the captain, and who has not yet undergone the penance
expected from him by our club."

All eyes were turned towards the little comedian who blushed and
laughed.

"Need I point out that individual, gentlemen?"

Cries of "No, no!"

"Now, Jollytoast, for your turn, old boy," said the tragedian.

"Hear, hear!" cried other members.

"Gentlemen," continued Mr. Oldstone, "our time is short; the clock has
already struck two, and I have observed more than one yawn from amongst
the company. It will be my painful duty to dismiss this genial meeting,
but I cannot conscientiously do so without first performing an act of
justice to the company. I, therefore, sentence Mr. Jollytoast to a comic
song before our meeting breaks up." (Cheers and laughter. Cries of
"Hear, hear," and "Now then Jollytoast; a song, a song--Jollytoast for a
song!")

The little gentleman, thus addressed, begged for a moment's reflection,
and then broke into a very merry ditty with a chorus, in which all had
to join. There was plenty of acting and grimace in it, with here and
there a part spoken, and any amount of "tooral-looral" in the chorus.

The song being ended, our comic friend was much applauded, and the
chairman, in a short speech, expressed himself satisfied with the
expiation, and, wishing all the company a "good night," and many more
such genial meetings, was about to retire, when Captain Toughyarn called
out, "Avast! there, chairman. You are never going to dismiss the crew
without splicing the main brace first!"

"True, true, captain," said the president; "besides the health of our
sublime warbler, Mr. Jollytoast, has not been drunk yet. Fill your
glasses, gentlemen, and drink to the health of Mr. Jollytoast."

Shouts and yells ensued, during which our comic guest's health was drunk
with three times three, to which he responded in a short and laughable
speech that called forth more cheering.

"And now, gentlemen," said the chairman, "after having spent the tenth
anniversary of our club in the company of mermaids, sea monsters,
ghouls, spirits, and phantom fleas, how can we do better than wind up
this honourable meeting by joining hands