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.