ise.

"I think you and I will leave it, and settle at the bar," said
Kantwise, appealing to Dockwrath, and intending peace if peace were
still possible.

"No," shouted Moulder, from the other end of the table; "let the man
have his money now, and then his troubles will be over. If there's
to be any fuss about it, let's have it out. I like to see the dinner
bill settled as soon as the dinner is eaten. Then one gets an
appetite for one's supper."

"I don't think I have the change," said Kantwise, still putting off
the evil day.

"I'll lend, it you," said Moulder, putting his hand into his
trousers-pockets. But the money was forthcoming out of Mr. Kantwise's
own proper repositories, and with slow motion he put down the five
shillings one after the other.

And then the waiter came to Mr. Dockwrath. "What's this?" said the
attorney, taking up the bill and looking at it. The whole matter had
been sufficiently explained to him, but nevertheless Mr. Moulder
explained it again. "In commercial rooms, sir, as no doubt you must
be well aware, seeing that you have done us the honour of joining us
here, the dinner bill is divided equally among all the gentlemen as
sit down. It's the rule of the room, sir. You has what you like, and
you calls for what you like, and conwiviality is thereby encouraged.
The figure generally comes to five shillings, and you afterwards
gives what you like to the waiter. That's about it, ain't it, James?"

"That's the rule, sir, in all commercial rooms as I ever see," said
the waiter.

The matter had been so extremely well put by Mr. Moulder, and that
gentleman's words had carried with them so much conviction, that
Dockwrath felt himself almost tempted to put down the money; as far
as his sixteen children and general ideas of economy were concerned
he would have done so; but his legal mind could not bear to be
beaten. The spirit of litigation within him told him that the point
was to be carried. Moulder, Gape, and Snengkeld together could not
make him pay for wine he had neither ordered nor swallowed. His
pocket was guarded by the law of the land, and not by the laws of any
special room in which he might chance to find himself. "I shall pay
two shillings for my dinner," said he, "and sixpence for my beer;"
and then he deposited the half-crown.

"Do you mean us to understand," said Moulder, "that after forcing
your way into this room, and sitting down along with gentlemen at
this table, you refus