‘Who says old brown boots comes?’ exclaimed Seedeybuck from the sofa.

‘Who’s that with his nasty nob on my fine satin sofa?’ asked the lady.

‘Bob Spangles,’ replied Seedeybuck.

‘Nothing of the sort,’ rejoined the lady; ’and I’ll trouble you to get off.’

‘Can’t—­I’ve got a bone in my leg,’ rejoined the captain.

‘I’ll soon make you,’ replied her ladyship, seizing the squab, and pulling it on to the floor.

As the captain was scrambling up, in came Peter—­one of the wageless footmen—­with candles, which having distributed equitably about the room, he approached Lady Scattercash, and asked, in an independent sort of way, what room Mr. Soapsuds was to have.

‘Soapsuds!—­Soapsuds!—­that’s not his name,’ exclaimed her ladyship.

‘Sponge, you fool!  Soapey Sponge,’ exclaimed Cutitfat, who had ferreted out Sponge’s nomme de Londres.

‘He’s not come, has he?’ asked Miss Glitters eagerly.

‘Yes, my lady—­that’s to say, miss,’ replied Peter.

‘Come, has he!’ chorused three or four voices.

‘Well, he must have a (hiccup) room,’ observed Sir Harry.  ’The green—­the one above the billiard-room will do,’ added he.

‘But I have that, Sir Harry,’ exclaimed Miss Howard.

‘Oh, it’ll hold two well enough,’ observed Miss Glitters.

‘Then you can be the second,’ replied Miss Howard, with a toss of her head.

‘Indeed!’ sneered Miss Glitters, bridling up.  ‘I like that.’

‘Well, but where’s the (hiccup) man to be put?’ asked Sir Harry.

‘There’s Ladofwax’s room,’ suggested her ladyship.

‘The captain’s locked the door and taken the key with him,’ replied the footman; ‘he said he’d be back in a day or two.’

‘Back in a (hiccup) or two!’ observed Sir Harry.  ‘Where is he gone?’

The man smiled.

‘Borrowed,’ observed Captain Quod, with an emphasis.

‘Indeed!’ exclaimed Sir Harry, adding, ’well, I thought that was Nabbum’s gig with the old grey.’

‘He’ll not be back in a hurry,’ observed Bouncey.  ’He’ll be like the Boulogne gents, who are always going to England, but never do.’

‘Poor Wax!’ observed Quod; ‘he’s a big fool, to give him his due.’

‘If you give him his due it’s more than he gives other people, it seems.’ observed Miss Howard.

‘Oh, fie, Miss H.!’ exclaimed Captain Seedeybuck.

‘Well, but the (hiccup) man must have a (hiccup) bed somewhere,’ observed Sir Harry; adding to the footman, ’you’d better (hiccup) the door open, you know.’

‘Perhaps you’d better try what one of yours will do,’ observed Bob Spangles, to the convulsion of the company.

In the midst of their mirth Mr. Bottleends was seen piloting Mr. Sponge up to her ladyship.

‘Mr. Sponge, my lady,’ said he in as low and deferential a tone as if he got his wages punctually every quarter-day.