don't care for it--no--no--no--no."

The song gave no little delight to all parties. Tongs shouted, the
pedler roared applause, and such was the general satisfaction, that it
was no difficult thing to persuade Brooks to the demolition of a bumper,
which Bunce adroitly proposed to the singer's own health. It was while
the hilarity thus produced was at its loudest, that the pedler seized
the chance to pour a moderate portion of the narcotic into the several
glasses of his companions, while a second time filling them; but,
unfortunately for himself, not less than the design in view, just at
this moment Brooks grew awkwardly conscious of his own increasing
weakness, having just reason enough left to feel that he had already
drunk too much. With a considerable show of resolution, therefore, he
thrust away the glass so drugged for his benefit, and declared his
determination to do no more of that business. He withstood all the
suggestions of the pedler on the subject, and the affair began to look
something less than hopeless when he proceeded to the waking up of his
son, who, overcome by the liquor, was busily employed in a profound
sleep, with his head upon the table.

Tongs, who had lost nearly all the powers of action, though retaining
not a few of his parts of speech, now came in fortunately to the aid of
the rather-discomfited pedler. Pouring forth a volley of oaths, in which
his more temperate brother-in-law was denounced as a mean-spirited
critter, who couldn't drink with his friend or fight with his enemy, he
made an ineffectual effort to grapple furiously with the offender, while
he more effectually arrested his endeavor to waken up his son. It is
well, perhaps, that his animal man lacked something of its accustomed
efficiency, and resolutely refused all co-operation with his mood; or,
it is more than probable, such was his wrath, that his more staid
brother-in-law would have been subjected to some few personal tests of
blow and buffet. The proceedings throughout suggested to the mind of the
pedler a mode of executing his design, by proposing a bumper all round,
with the view of healing the breach between the parties, and as a final
draught preparatory to breaking up.

A suggestion so reasonable could not well be resisted; and, with the
best disposition in the world toward sobriety, Brooks was persuaded to
assent to the measure. Unhappily, however, for the pedler, the measure
was so grateful to Tongs, that, before t