ere careful to keep filled, was raised frequently to his lips. From
time to time he looked round him like a hunted animal who seeks but
fails to find some avenue of escape.

"'E was always a good boy to 'is mother, my sister Polly, an' now 'e's
a gentleman, 'im wot once took round oil an' sausages for 'is father
when 'e kep' a general shop.

"Everyone," proceeded Bindle, referring to a scrap of paper he held,
"'as heard o' Tom Graves, grocer, of 60 'Igh Street, Bingley. 'E don't
mix sand with 'is sugar and sell it at threepence a pound, not 'im; 'e
mixes it wi' the tea at one-an'-eight a pound. There ain't no flies on
old Tom.

"'Is mother, when she was in service, 'fore she married Tom, 'ad a face
almost as pretty as Reggie's." Bindle placed his hand beneath Graves's
chin and elevated his flushed face and gazed down into his nephew's
watery eyes.

Graves half rose from his seat, an ugly look on his face, but someone
dragged him down again. He looked round the room with unseeing eyes,
making vain endeavours to moisten his lips. Once or twice he seemed
determined to get up and go, but Guggers' brawny arm was always there
to restrain him. There was nothing for it but to sit and listen.

"Now, gentlemen," continued Bindle, "I mustn't keep yer." (There were
loud cries of "Go on," "The night is young," and similar
encouragements.) "Although," continued Bindle, "I could tell yer
things yer might like to know about 'orses, beer, women, an' other
things wot 'urt." (Loud cries of "No!") "Well, wait till you're
married, then yer'll see. As I was sayin', this is an 'appy evenin'.

"Lord, I seen things in Moonagoona," continued Bindle reminiscently,
"that 'ud make yer 'air stand on end. There's the Moonagoona linnet,
big as an eagle, and you 'ave to plug yer ears when it sings. Then
there's the Moonagoona beetle, wot'll swallow a lamb 'ole, an' then sit
up an' beg for the mint-sauce.

"We got eels that big that yer wouldn't believe it. We once caught a
eel at Moonagoona, and it pulled an' pulled so, that 'fore long we'd
got the 'ole bloomin' population on the end o' the rope. We 'auled in
miles of it, an' presently we see comin' along the river a crowd o'
people; they was the in'abitants of Gumbacooe, the next town. They'd
caught the other end o' the eel, wot 'ad two 'eads, an' we was
a-'aulin' of 'em as well as Mister Eel. Moonagoona's the place to see
things.

"I been very 'appy this evenin'," proceede