witticisms, that were the more noisily applauded, the worse
they were, that Harry suggested that "old June had lost his way, and
found his spirits in Drydale--he must have met with a private grog-shop
in the plantations--would not Tom confess"--"not he; it was all in
private. He thought it was laughing-gas, or the reaction of being fried
all the morning, holding forth in that Town Hall. He had longed to make
a speech himself--no end of the good it would have done the old stagers
to come out with something to the purpose. What would old Hoxton have
thought of it?

"They shall dive for alligators, catch the wild goats by the beard;
Whistle to the cockatoos, and mock the hairy-faced baboon;
Worship mighty Mumbo Jumbo in the mountains of the moon.
I myself, in far Timbuctoo, leopard's blood shall daily quaff;
Ride a tiger hunting, mounted on a thoroughbred giraffe."

"Not you, Tom!" cried Hector.

"You, the swell, the Eton fellow! You, to seek such horrid places.
You to haunt with squalid negroes, blubber lips, and monkey faces.
Fool, again the dream, the fancy; don't I know the words are mad,
For you count the gray barbarian lower than the Brocas cad!"

"Nay, it is the consequence of misanthropy at the detection of the
frauds of unsophisticated society," said Norman.

The edge of life is rusted;
The agate studs and whisker ointment left him very much disgusted.

"Perhaps it was Miss Rivers forsaking him. Was not that rather
spider-hearted, Tom?"

"Come, Harry, it is time to have done. We are getting into civilised
society--here's Abbotstoke."

"Poor Norman, he is very far gone! He takes that scarecrow for civilised
society!"

"Much better clothed than the society you have been accustomed to,
July." "What a prize his wardrobe would be to the Black Prince!" "Don't
insult your betters!" "Which? The scarecrow, or the Black Prince?"

Norman tried to call his companions to order, for they were close upon
the village, and he began to tax himself with unbecoming levity; the
effect of spirits pitched rather low, which did not easily find their
balance, under unwonted exhilaration, but Harry's antics were less
easily repressed than excited, and if Tom had not heard the Grange clock
strike half-past six, and had not been afraid of not having time to
array himself, and watch over Harry's neckcloth, they would hardly have
arrived in reasonable time. Dr. May had gone home,