They bawled down the speaking-tube, and danced on the dining-room table.

Nothing was omitted which could testify to their glee at the new emancipation, or their hatred of the old _regime_.

They held a mock school outside the Henniker's door, and gave one another bad marks and canings with infinite laughter, by way of cheering up their prisoner.
Finally the calls of hunger put an end to this strange demonstration, and with a mighty stampede we made for the kitchen.

To our surprise, it was empty.
"Why, where's the cook and housemaid ?" cried one and another to Smith.
"Oh," said Smith, who with the cares of generalship upon him had taken only a small part in the jubilation which had just been celebrated, "the servants have gone home.

They both live at Felwick, so I said they might take a week's holiday." The coolness of this announcement was received with much laughter, in the midst of which, however, Hawkesbury was heard to say, "I hope Smith is a good cook, for really I can't eat my food raw." This was certainly a matter we had not reckoned on, and the idea of raw meat did cast a temporary shadow on our happiness.