THE REVELRY WAXES FURIOUS. 377 



When Her Majesty's health had been drunk 

 amidst hearty applause, we adjourned to the 

 kitchen. More healths were drunk. Janet made 

 a very pretty speech, and presented Milton with 

 a handsome nugget ; Billy Ferren followed suit with 

 a second. Then each gave one to Cheadle with 



similar ceremony. The irrepressible Dr. B 1 



rose every few minutes to propose anew the health 

 of one or other of the " illustrious travellers," and 

 was remorselessly sung dowm by the equally in- 

 defatigable Hudson's Bay man, who always had 

 '' Annie Laurie " ready for the emergency, and all 

 joined in the chorus, and the obtrusive speaker was 

 ultimately overpowered. At last his eyes became 

 glassy, his smile disappeared, and he sat in his 

 chair gloomily silent. All at once, however, he 

 got up, and rushing across the room, made in- 

 effectual attempts to force an exit through the 

 mantelpiece, bobbing against it very much after the 

 fashion of a bird trying to escape through a pane of 

 glass; whereupon he was seized by the assistant, 

 and led off into a bedroom. Cards were now intro- 

 duced, and we were initiated into " High, Low, Jack 

 and the Game," and " Pitch seven up," but were 

 presently disturbed by a tremendous crash in the 

 bedroom adjoining ; the assistant ran out, and found 



Dr. B 1 on the floor, having rolled off the bed 



into a miscellaneous collection of pots, pans, brushes, 

 and etceteras which had been put there out of the 

 way. 



After this interruption conviviality reigned 



