end
proceeded: "I don't think I lose by it, I always take the average of
three years, according to the regulation; so I take the present year
and the two future ones--_and you fellows know what a pessimist I am_!"

It was usually at the "Whistling Oyster" that the meetings of the Club
were held. The little house was conveniently situated, as already
explained, next door to the "Crown"--now Number 12 or 12A Vinegar Yard.
At this place a Mr. Pearkes had opened an oyster shop nearly twenty
years before, and his little rooms were frequented by the most talented
of the denizens of Bohemia--literary, theatrical, and artistic. One day,
in the early 'Forties, the proprietor, to his amazement, heard one of
his oysters whistling--a continuous shrill little whistle, doubtless
through a hole in its shell. The fact was at once noised abroad, and
crowds visited his shop to listen to the sibilant mollusc, which not
only whistled, but, it was said with some truth, drew the town as
effectively as old Drury herself, on the other side of the court.

The rain of jokes that followed was ceaseless, and _Punch's_ not the
worst. He celebrated the bivalve in his pages by picture and by word,
and his young men made the best of the incident. Douglas Jerrold, says
Walter Thornbury, suggested that it was one of the sentimental kind
which, having been crossed in love, took to whistling to keep up
appearances and show it didn't care. Thackeray declared in all
seriousness that he had heard an American in the shop, after listening
to the performance, gravely assert that at home in Massachusetts they
had a much cleverer oyster, which not only whistled "Yankee Doodle" from
beginning to end, but followed his master about like a dog. And it was
further suggested that, report having exaggerated the powers of the
performer into being able to whistle "God save the Queen," the
proprietor had been requested to take it to Windsor Castle, but that the
command had been summarily cancelled when it was ascertained _that the
musician was a "native!"_ The result to the fortunate proprietor was a
substantial one; his house became known and for many years kept up its
reputation on the deformity of a twopenny shell-fish. It is, therefore,
hardly surprising that "other vermin" took to music as well; that about
the same time a "singing mouse" made its appearance, duly touring in
London and the provinces; and that _Punch_ made the most of the engaging
little _virtuoso_.