going to
betray any symptoms of appetite.

"What'll you have?" said Percy, presently.

"Well, if you've got a bit of bread and cheese and a drop of something,
I don't mind, thank you kindly."

This was rather a damper; but Wally was equal to the emergency.

"Have an Abernethy--that's what Rollitt's been living on. You'll like
it. We keep a stock in our shop."

"Only a penny each," said Ramshaw, explanatorily.

"Better have some jam with it," said Cottle.

"Like some tea?" inquired D'Arcy, who had charge of the pot, beginning
to fill up a mug the size of the slop-basin with the matron's "extra
special."

"The cake's not so bad--there's several lumps not a bit stale," said
Ashby.

"If you like cocoa-nut," said Fisher minor, "my brother's lent us one,
and I'll cut you a chunk."

"And there's some grapes for you, when you're ready," said Percy,
proudly; "a present from a lady."

The awkward thing was that, in their eagerness to see their guest eat,
none of the juniors took anything. They continued to pile up the good
man's plate till he didn't know where to begin, and fairly bewildered
him by each commending the excellence of his own particular delicacy
"Thank'ee, young gents. I ain't much of a eater when I'm away from
home; no more ain't my Alf. But I'll take a snack, anyhow."

Whereupon, to their delight, he commenced an onslaught on the viands
before him, every morsel he ate being followed by eighteen admiring eyes
into his mouth. He made short work of the Abernethys and cake, tossed
off the tea as if it were a thimbleful, jerked down the hunk of cocoa-
nut, gulped the grapes, and generally gave the spectators an admirable
and comprehensive performance.

They were charmed. So much so, that out of sheer pleasure they began to
eat too. The meal, if brief, was a merry one. Mr Rollitt took a
special fancy to the Abernethys--a choice which of course put the shop-
directors in an ecstasy. They only reproached themselves that they had
not provided twelve instead of six.

At length, partly because there was nothing left but lukewarm water and
the toughest crusts of the cake, and partly because the guest's appetite
was beginning to flag, the solid portion of the meal came to an end, and
the social began.

After sundry nudgings and whisperings and signals among the juniors,
Wally filled up his cup with warm water and rose to his feet.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "I--you know--that is--shut up,