THE STEAM EXCURSION. 361 



" The funny gentleman, Sir?" 



"Ah! the funny gentleman. If Mr. Hardy should call, say I've 

 gone to Mrs. Taunton's, about that water-party." 



" Yes, Sir." 



" And if any fellow calls, and says he's come about a steamer, tell 

 him to be here at five o'clock this afternoon, Mrs. Stubbs." 



" Very well, Sir." 



Mr. Percy Noakes brushed his hat ; whisked the crumbs off his 

 inexplicables with a silk handkerchief, gave the ends of his hair a 

 persuasive roll round his fore-finger, and sallied forth for Mrs. Taun- 

 ton's domicile in Great Marlborough-street, where she and her 

 daughters occupied the upper part of a house. She was a good- 

 looking widow of fifty, with the form of a giantess and the mind of 

 a child. The pursuit of pleasure, and some means of killing time, 

 appeared the sole end of her existence. She doated on her two 

 daughters, who were as frivolous as herself. 



A general exclamation of satisfaction hailed the arrival of Mr. 

 Percy Noakes, who went through the ordinary salutations, and threw 

 himself into an easy chair, near the ladies' work-table, with all the 

 ease of a regularly established friend of the family. Mrs. Taunton 

 was busily engaged in planting immense bright bows on every part 

 of a smart cap on which it was possible to stick one ; Miss Emily 

 Taunton was making a watch-guard ; and Miss Sophia was at the 

 piano, practising a new song poetry by the young officer, or the po- 

 lice officer, or the custom-house officer, or some equally interesting 

 amateur. 



''You good creature!" said Mrs. Taunton, addressing the gallant 

 Percy. " You really are a good soul. You've come about the water- 

 party, I know." 



" I should rather suspect I had," replied Mr. Noakes, trium- 

 phantly. " Now come here, girls, and I'll tell you all about it/' 

 Miss Emily and Miss Sophia advanced to the table, with that ballet 

 sort of step which some young ladies appear to think so fascinating 

 something between a skip and a canter. 



" Now," continued Mr. Percy Noakes, " it seems to me that the 

 best way will be to have a committee of ten, to make all the arrange- 

 ments, and manage the whole set-out. Well, then, I propose that the 

 expenses shall be paid by these ten fellows jointly." 



" Excellent, indeed !" said Mrs. Taunton, who highly approved of 

 this part of the arrangements. 



" Then my plan is, that each of these ten fellows shall have the 

 power of asking five people. There must be a meeting of the com- 

 mittee at my chambers, to make all the arrangements, and these people 

 shall be then named ; every member of the committee shall have the 

 power of black-balling any one who is proposed, and one black-ball 

 shall exclude that person. This will ensure our having a pleasant 

 party you know." 



ef What a manager you are !" interrupted Mrs. Taunton again. 



" Charming !" said the lovely Emily. 



" I never did !" ejaculated Sophia. 



" Yes, I think it'll do," replied Mr. Percy Noakes, who was now 



