roared out, Im tiefen Keller sitz' ich hier, auf einem Fass
voll Reben, which, if not wholly understood by the audience, had some of
its purport conveyed by the threefold repetition of "trinke" at the end
of each verse. Then a deputation waited upon John, to ask in behalf of
the girls and boys if he knew and could sing Solomon Levi.

"Yes," he said, sitting down at the piano, "if you'll all sing with me,"
and it came to pass that that classic, followed by Bring Back my Bonnie
to Me, Paddy Duffy's Cart, There's Music in the Air, and sundry other
ditties dear to all hearts, was given by "the full strength of the
company" with such enthusiasm that even Mr. Fairman was moved to join in
with his violin; and when the Soldier's Farewell was given, Herr Schlitz
would have sung the windows out of their frames had they not been open.
Altogether, the evening's programme was brought to an end with a grand
climax.

"Thank you very much," said John as he said good night to Mrs. Verjoos.
"I don't know when I have enjoyed an evening so much."

"Thank _you_ very much," she returned graciously. "You have given us all
a great deal of pleasure."

"Yes," said Miss Verjoos, giving her hand with a mischievous gleam in
her half-shut eyes, "I was enchanted with Solomon Levi."

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

David and John had been driving for some time in silence. The elder man
was apparently musing upon something which had been suggested to his
mind. The horses slackened their gait to a walk as they began the ascent
of a long hill. Presently the silence was broken by a sound which caused
John to turn his head with a look of surprised amusement--Mr. Harum was
singing. The tune, if it could be so called, was scaleless, and these
were the words:

"_Mon_day _mor_nin' I _mar_ried me a _wife_,
_Think_in' to _lead_ a _more_ contented _life_;
_Fid_dlin' an' _danc_in' _the_' was _played_,
To _see_ how un_happy_ poor _I_ was _made_.

"_Tues_day _morn_in', _'bout_ break o' _day_,
_While_ my _head_ on the _pil_ler did _lay_,
She _tuned_ up her _clack_, an' _scold_ed _more_
_Than_ I _ever_ heard be_fore_."

"Never heard me sing before, did ye?" he said, looking with a grin at
his companion, who laughed and said that he had never had that pleasure.
"Wa'al, that's all 't I remember on't," said David, "an' I dunno 's I've
thought about it in thirty year. The' was a number o' verses which
carried 'em through the rest o' the week, an' en