Cottle was asking Ashby his riddle; D'Arcy was laying down the law in the admiring hearing of Ramshaw and Lickford as to the cooking of sprats on the shovel; while Fisher minor was telling the sympathetic Mrs Stratton all about the people at home.

Mr Stratton was wise enough not to disturb this state of affairs by talk of his own.

When, however, the meal began to flag, and his guests one by one abandoned the attack, he proposed an adjournment to the drawing-room.
"I want the advice of you youngsters," said he presently, "about something I dare say you all know something about.

I mean the old School shop." The party looked guilty.

Didn't they know the tuck-shop?
"It seems to me," said Mr Stratton, "it's rather in a bad way just now; don't you think so?
Robert hasn't time to look after it, and wants to give it up.