Mr.
Higgins laid it upon the table and put his hand into his own pocket.

So did Ezra Weeks, the butcher; Caleb Small, the dry goods dealer; "Hen" Leadbetter, the livery stable keeper; "Bash" Taylor, the milkman, and three or four others.

And, wonder of wonders, each produced a sheet of note paper exactly like Obed's.
They spread them out on the table.

The dates were, of course, different, and they differed in other minor particulars, but in the main they were exactly alike.

And each one of them ended with an invitation to dinner.
The members of the club looked at each other in amazement.