r, and
Mrs. Taunton and her daughters were declared to be black-balled. Mr.
Percy Noakes and Mr. Hardy exchanged glances.

'Is your list prepared, Mr. Briggs?' inquired the chairman.

'It is,' replied Alexander, delivering in the following:--'Mrs. Briggs
and three daughters, Mr. Samuel Briggs.' The previous ceremony was
repeated, and Mrs. Briggs and three daughters were declared to be
black-balled. Mr. Alexander Briggs looked rather foolish, and the
remainder of the company appeared somewhat overawed by the mysterious
nature of the proceedings.

The balloting proceeded; but, one little circumstance which Mr. Percy
Noakes had not originally foreseen, prevented the system from working
quite as well as he had anticipated. Everybody was black-balled. Mr.
Alexander Briggs, by way of retaliation, exercised his power of exclusion
in every instance, and the result was, that after three hours had been
consumed in hard balloting, the names of only three gentlemen were found
to have been agreed to. In this dilemma what was to be done? either the
whole plan must fall to the ground, or a compromise must be effected.
The latter alternative was preferable; and Mr. Percy Noakes therefore
proposed that the form of balloting should be dispensed with, and that
every gentleman should merely be required to state whom he intended to
bring. The proposal was acceded to; the Tauntons and the Briggses were
reinstated; and the party was formed.

The next Wednesday was fixed for the eventful day, and it was unanimously
resolved that every member of the committee should wear a piece of blue
sarsenet ribbon round his left arm. It appeared from the statement of
Mr. Percy Noakes, that the boat belonged to the General Steam Navigation
Company, and was then lying off the Custom-house; and, as he proposed
that the dinner and wines should be provided by an eminent city purveyor,
it was arranged that Mr. Percy Noakes should be on board by seven o'clock
to superintend the arrangements, and that the remaining members of the
committee, together with the company generally, should be expected to
join her by nine o'clock. More brandy-and-water was despatched; several
speeches were made by the different law students present; thanks were
voted to the chairman; and the meeting separated.

The weather had been beautiful up to this period, and beautiful it
continued to be. Sunday passed over, and Mr. Percy Noakes became
unusually fidgety--rushing, cons