you ain't in, and perhaps we walks in to
wait for you."

"Show me to myself?" gasped Mr. Henshaw.

Mr. Stokes winked. "On account o' the surprising likeness," he said,
smiling. "It is surprising, ain't it? Fancy the two of us sitting there
and talking to her and waiting for you to come in and wondering what's
making you so late!"

Mr. Henshaw regarded him steadfastly for some seconds, and then, taking
a firm hold of his mug, slowly drained the contents.

"And what about my voice?" he demanded, with something approaching a
sneer.

[Illustration: And what about my voice 020]

"That's right," said Mr. Stokes, hotly; "it wouldn't be you if you
didn't try to make difficulties."

"But what about it?" said Mr. Henshaw, obstinately.

"You can alter it, can't you?" said the other.

They were alone in the bar, and Mr. Henshaw, after some persuasion, was
induced to try a few experiments. He ranged from bass, which hurt his
throat, to a falsetto which put Mr. Stokes's teeth on edge, but in vain.
The rehearsal was stopped at last by the landlord, who, having twice
come into the bar under the impression that fresh customers had entered,
spoke his mind at some length. "Seem to think you're in a blessed
monkey-house," he concluded, severely.

"We thought we was," said Mr. Stokes, with a long appraising sniff, as
he opened the door. "It's a mistake anybody might make."

He pushed Mr. Henshaw into the street as the landlord placed a hand on
the flap of the bar, and followed him out.

"You'll have to 'ave a bad cold and talk in 'usky whispers," he said
slowly, as they walked along. "You caught a cold travelling in the train
from Ireland day before yesterday, and you made it worse going for a
ride on the outside of a 'bus with me and a couple o' ladies. See? Try
'usky whispers now."

Mr. Henshaw tried, and his friend, observing that he was taking but a
languid interest in the scheme, was loud in his praises. "I should never
'ave known you," he declared. "Why, it's wonderful! Why didn't you tell
me you could act like that?"

Mr. Henshaw remarked modestly that he had not been aware of it himself,
and, taking a more hopeful view of the situation, whispered himself into
such a state of hoarseness that another visit for refreshment became
absolutely necessary.

"Keep your 'art up and practise," said Mr. Stokes, as he shook hands
with him some time later. "And If you can manage it, get off at four
o'clock to-morrow and we'll