a dive for the apex of the
V of the lady's blouse.

As she felt the hot, moist bird touch her, she gave a shriek and
started back. Bindle also started, and the lady's possessor lost his
grip on the Welsh rarebit, which slid off the plate on to his lap.

Greatly concerned, Bindle placed the empty Welsh rarebit plate quickly
on the table and, seizing a fork, stabbed the errant and romantic
quail, replacing it upon its plate. He then went to the assistance of
the gentleman who had received the Welsh rarebit face downwards on his
lap.

With great care Bindle returned it to the plate, with the exception of
such portions as clung affectionately to the customer's person.

To confound confusion the superintendent dashed up full of apologies
for the customers and threatening looks for the cause of the mishap.
Bindle turned to the lady, who was hysterically dabbing her chest with
a napkin.

"I 'ope you ain't 'urt, mum," he said with genuine solicitude; "I
didn't see where 'e was goin', slippery little devil!" and Bindle
regarded the bird reproachfully. Then remembering that another was
waiting for it, he crossed over to the table at which sat the customer
who had ordered "caille en casserole" and placed the plate before him.

The man looked up in surprise.

"You'd better take that away," he said. "That bird's a bit too
enterprising for me."

"A bit too wot, sir?" interrogated Bindle, lifting the plate to his
nose. "I don't smell it, sir," he added seriously.

"I ordered 'caille en casserole,'" responded the man. "You bring me
'caille en cocotte.'"

"D'you mind saying that in English, sir?" asked Bindle, wholly at sea.

At that moment he was pushed aside by the owner of the lady of
generous proportions. Thrusting his face forward until it almost
touched that of the "caille" guest, he launched out into a volley of
reproaches.

"Mon Dieu!" he shouted, "you have insulted that lady. You are a
scoundrel, a wretch, a traducer of fair women;" and he went on in
French to describe the customer's ancestry and possible progeny.

Throughout the dining-room the guests rose to see what was happening.
Many came to the scene of the mishap. By almost superhuman efforts and
an apology from the customer who had ordered "caille en casserole,"
peace was restored and, at a motion from the superintendent, Bindle
carried the offending bird to the kitchen to exchange it for another,
a simple process that was achieved by having it re-heat