He was received by these worthies with considerable effusiveness, considering his position in society, and it warmed the cockles of his aged heart to note that Sir Walter, who had always been rather distant to him since he had carelessly upset that worthy and Queen Elizabeth in the middle of the Styx far back in the last century, permitted him to shake three fingers of his left hand when he entered the committee-room.
"How do you do, Charon ?" said Sir Walter, affably.

"We are very glad to see you." "Thank you, kindly, Sir Walter," said the boatman.

"I'm glad to hear those words, your honor, for I've been feeling very bad since I had the misfortune to drop your Excellency and her Majesty overboard.

I never knew how it happened, sir, but happen it did, and but for her Majesty's kind assistance it might have been the worse for us.

Eh, Sir Walter ?" The knight shook his head menacingly at Charon.