with a nondescript collection of men, women, and boys, with and without
dogs. All seemed inspired with the same ambition--to interview Mr.
Hearty.

Mr. Hearty looked at the sea of faces outside as an actor suffering
from stage-fright might gaze at the audience that had bereft him of the
power to speak or move. He felt that he must act promptly, even
sternly; but he was not a brave man and saw that he was faced by a
crowd of potential enemies. Summoning up all his courage he turned to
Lily's owner.

"Kindly remove that dog," he ordered in what he meant to be a stern
voice, indicating Lily, who was playing a game of hide-and-seek round
an apple-barrel with a pomeranian-Irish-terrier.

"'Oo are you talkin' to? Just answer me that," demanded Lily's owner.

Mr. Hearty saw clearly that the man intended to be awkward, even
insolent.

"I am speaking to you, and unless you take that dog away, I--I----"
Mr. Hearty stopped, wondering what he really would do. What ought he
to do under such circumstances?

"Why did yer advertise?" demanded the aggressive woman.

"I didn't," replied Mr. Hearty miserably, turning to his new assailant.
"I have advertised for nothing."

"Didn't yer advertise for a 'ousekeeper?" continued the woman.

"No!"

"Yer a blinkin' liar."

At this uncompromising rejoinder Mr. Hearty started. He was
unaccustomed to such directness of speech.

"Unless you are civil I shall order you out of my shop," retorted Mr.
Hearty angrily.

"An' if yer do I shan't go; see?" The woman placed her hands on her
hips and looked at Mr. Hearty insultingly. "Look at 'im," she
continued, addressing the crowd, "playin' 'is dirty jokes on pore
people. I paid eightpence return to get 'ere all the way from Brixton,
then 'e says it's a joke."

There was an ominous murmur from the others. All sorts of epithets
were hurled at Mr. Hearty.

"Will yer pay our fares?"

"I'll punch 'is bloomin' 'ead till it aches!"

"Let me get at 'im!"

"Yer dirty tyke!"

"You goin' to buy my dawg?" demanded Lily's owner, thrusting his face
so close to Mr. Hearty's that their noses almost touched.

"No, I'm not," shouted Mr. Hearty in desperation. "Smith, put this man
and his dog out."

Smith looked embarrassed and Lily's owner laughed outright, a sneering,
insulting laugh, which his black stumps of teeth seemed to render more
sinister and menacing.

Mr. Hearty felt that the situation was passing beyond his control. How