144 THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF 'TOM' 



peacefully under a table, whilst each visitor provided 

 himself with a cup of tea and such cakes as he fancied. 



At the end of twenty minutes the teapot was empty 

 and. the cakes had vanished. The bell was rung, and 

 answered by the master of the cafe. ' More ! ' cried 

 Decamps, and the master of tb;e cafe bowed himself out 

 backwards, and hastened to obey orders. 



Whilst waiting for ' more,' Janin read to the assembled 

 company that interesting account of the early days of 

 Jacko I., with which all readers of the ' Blue Animal 

 Story Book ' are doubtless familiar. 



The applause which followed this history was suddenly 

 interrupted by a piercing shriek on the staircase. Every 

 one rushed out to see what was the matter, and found 

 the porter's little girl half-fainting in the arms of Tom, 

 who, startled by this sudden interruption, hurried off 

 downstairs. 



A moment later another scream, even more shrill than 

 the first, was heard. An old lady, who had lived on the 

 third floor for the last thirty-five years, had come as far 

 as the landing to discern what all the noise was about, 

 and, finding herself face to face with the fugitive, fainted 

 instantly away. 



Tom turned back, hurried up fifteen steps, found an 

 open door and burst into the midst of a wedding feast. 

 Here was a hullabaloo ! The whole party rose to their 

 feet, and, headed by the newly married couple, rushed to 

 the stairs. In a moment the inhabitants of the house 

 from cellar to attic were standing out on the various 

 landings, all talking at once, and, as generally happens 

 in such cases, no one listening. 



At last the story was traced back to its beginning. 

 The girl who gave the first alarm said that, as she was 

 bringing up the cream she felt some one seize her round 

 the waist. The staircase was dark, and thinking she had to 

 do with some impertinent lodger she promptly dealt him a 

 smait box on the ears. Tom had replied by a growl, which 



