to call to Mark to come in, and upstairs; a summons which
he so speedily obeyed, that almost as soon as Tom and Mr Tigg had drawn
in their heads and closed the window again, he, the denounced, appeared
before them.

'Come here, Mark!' said Mr Pinch. 'Good gracious me! what's the matter
between Mrs Lupin and this gentleman?'

'What gentleman, sir?' said Mark. 'I don't see no gentleman here sir,
excepting you and the new gentleman,' to whom he made a rough kind of
bow--'and there's nothing wrong between Mrs Lupin and either of you, Mr
Pinch, I am sure.'

'Nonsense, Mark!' cried Tom. 'You see Mr--'

'Tigg,' interposed that gentleman. 'Wait a bit. I shall crush him soon.
All in good time!'

'Oh HIM!' rejoined Mark, with an air of careless defiance. 'Yes, I see
HIM. I could see him a little better, if he'd shave himself, and get his
hair cut.'

Mr Tigg shook his head with a ferocious look, and smote himself once
upon the breast.

'It's no use,' said Mark. 'If you knock ever so much in that quarter,
you'll get no answer. I know better. There's nothing there but padding;
and a greasy sort it is.'

'Nay, Mark,' urged Mr Pinch, interposing to prevent hostilities, 'tell
me what I ask you. You're not out of temper, I hope?'

'Out of temper, sir!' cried Mark, with a grin; 'why no, sir. There's
a little credit--not much--in being jolly, when such fellows as him is
a-going about like roaring lions; if there is any breed of lions, at
least, as is all roar and mane. What is there between him and Mrs Lupin,
sir? Why, there's a score between him and Mrs Lupin. And I think Mrs
Lupin lets him and his friend off very easy in not charging 'em double
prices for being a disgrace to the Dragon. That's my opinion. I wouldn't
have any such Peter the Wild Boy as him in my house, sir, not if I was
paid race-week prices for it. He's enough to turn the very beer in
the casks sour with his looks; he is! So he would, if it had judgment
enough.'

'You're not answering my question, you know, Mark,' observed Mr Pinch.

'Well, sir,' said Mark, 'I don't know as there's much to answer further
than that. Him and his friend goes and stops at the Moon and Stars till
they've run a bill there; and then comes and stops with us and does the
same. The running of bills is common enough Mr Pinch; it an't that as
we object to; it's the ways of this chap. Nothing's good enough for him;
all the women is dying for him he thinks, and is overpaid if he winks a