oxhead fourths, Purkis fifths, and the paupers
sixth, that old Lang be and hereby is perpetual secretary of the
Ph.C.C., and that it's all rot his retiring."

"Oh, all serene," said Langrish, evidently pleased. "That's your look-
out. Where was I?--'thanked on his retirement, but as nobody else can
read his writing, he is hereby asked to hang on, which he hereby does.
The meeting then adjourned.'"

We decided to celebrate the evening by a state tea, as which the usual
loyal and patriotic toasts were given; of which I will only trouble the
reader with one, that delivered by Warminster, the late president.

"It's a sell, of course, getting down; but we all had a good look in,
and Sal's come out best man this once. We aren't going to jack it up
though, and he'll have to mind his eye (cheers). After all, what with
the mess he made over Tempest's bills (loud cheers), and the shindy
about the guy, and all that rot about the barge, he's shown he's fit for
the job (laughter). But he'll have to make a good show-up for Sharpe's
now, or we'll let him know. We've scored a bit of a record, and we
don't want to fool it away (loud cheers), and any fellow who doesn't put
it on doesn't deserve to be a Ph.C.C. or anything like (prolonged
applause). Gentlemen, with these remarks I beg to give the health of
'the army and navy and reserve forces' (loud cheers)."

The "reserve forces" were the most striking feature, after all, about
the wind-up of the Conversation Club that night.

Before I went to bed I looked in at Tempest's study, where, to my
delight, I found Dicky Brown.

"Hullo, I was just coming to fetch you," said the new captain. "Don't
you think this a pretty good show for old Plummer?"

"Rather," said Dicky. "I wonder how he's getting on!"

"And I wonder if the pond is full up again yet."

"By the way," said Tempest, "I've never hided you for collaring that
pistol of mine. I may as well do it now."

"Fire away," said I; "I don't mind taking a licking from the captain of
Low Heath."

"It sounds queer, doesn't it?" said Tempest, disarmed by this
compliment. "Between you and me, kids, I think we ought to be able to
make the thing work next term."

"Rather," said I, "only we shall have to keep sitting up to do it."

"So much the better," said they.

THE END.

End of Project Gutenberg's Tom, Dick and Harry, by Talbot Baines Reed

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