g the effect of a change of climate on their moral
health at the expense of a grateful country, owed their valuable lives
to the professional skill and exertions of "Caleb Quirk, Esq." In short,
the other two were trophies of a similar description, of which their
possessor was very justly not a little proud; and as he saw Titmouse
admiring them, it occurred to him as very possible that, within a short
time, he should be in possession of a magnificent _gold_ snuff-box, in
acknowledgment of the services he should have rendered to his
distinguished guest and client. Titmouse was in the highest possible
spirits. This, his first glimpse into high life, equalled all his
expectations. Round and round went the bottles--crack went joke after
joke. Slang sang song upon song, of, however, so very coarse and broad a
character as infinitely disgusted Gammon, and apparently shocked the
alderman;--though I greatly distrust that old sinner's sincerity in the
matter. Then Ghastly's performances commenced. Poor fellow! he exerted
himself to the utmost to earn the good dinner he had just devoured; but
when he was in the very middle of one of his most impassioned
scenes--undoubtedly "tearing a passion to rags,"--Mr. Quirk interrupted
impatiently--"Come, come, Ghastly, we've had enough of _that_ sort of
thing--it don't suit--d'ye see--at all!--Lord bless us!--don't _roar_
so, man!"

Poor Ghastly instantly resumed his seat, with a chagrined and melancholy
air.

"Give us something funny," snuffled the alderman.

"Let's have the chorus of Pigs and Ducks," said Quirk; "you do that
_remarkable_ well. I could fancy the animals were running, and
squealing, and quacking all about the room!" The actor respectfully did
as he was desired, commencing with a sigh, and was much applauded. At
length Gammon happened to get into a discussion with Mr. Bluster upon
some point connected with the Habeas Corpus Act, in which our friend
Gammon, who never got heated in discussion, and was very accurate in
whatever he knew, had glaringly the best of it. His calm, smiling
self-possession almost drove poor Bluster frantic. The less he knew, of
course the louder he talked, the more vehement and positive he became;
at length offering a _bet_ that there was no such thing as a writ of
_Habeas Corpus_ before the time of Charles II.;[20] at which Gammon
bowed, smiled, and closed the discussion. While engaged in it, he had of
course been unable to keep his eye upon Titmo