OF THE SPEAR 



" Well, by gum, we are in a queer 

 hat ! What is to be done ? " 



There was then a silence for so 

 long that Austin, coming back to 

 the actual situation first, exclaimed, 

 " Bloggs, are you asleep ? " Calvert, 

 who was lying back in an armchair, 

 no longer smoking, merely flung 

 back the word with some scorn in 

 his tone, "A-sleep !" 



The Devil, finding that he had an 

 audience, proceeded to give out his 

 views : "Well, I've been thinking it 

 over, and I don't see a way out of the 

 difficulty. You haven't asked her, 

 you say ; have you broken ground at 

 all?" 



" Yes, I have in a way broken the 

 ice." 



"Well, then, we're no better off 

 99 



