THE HEN EETEB. 285 



that we have just finished a most capital dinner upon those 

 nice Shanghaes that you sent up to me, this morning.' 



" ' What ! ' yelled Bill, jumping wildly up from the 

 table ; ' what do you say, Major ? ' 



" ' Those Shanghaes — ' 



" Bill groaned, rammed his hands clean up to the elbows 

 into his breeches-pockets, and, after striding fiercely across 

 the room some half a dozen times, without uttering another 

 word, but with his eyes all this time 'in a fine frenzy 

 rolling,' he stopped short, and, turning to the Major, he 

 exclaimed, with no little gesticulation, 



" ' Good God, Major, you don't mean to say you 're seri- 

 ous, now ? ' 



" ' Nothing else, Bill. What 's the matter ? ' 



" ' Why, I paid forty dollars fo?- that pai?- of chickens, 

 this mm'iiing, at the hen-show ! ' 



" ' You did ! ' 



" ' Yes. Did n't that stupid boy give you my note, when 

 he left the chickens ? ' 



" ' Not a note ; not even a due-bill,' said the Major, 

 provokingly. 



" ' I mean my letter,' continued Bill. 



" ' No,' said the Major, ' he gave me no letter ; he sim- 

 ply delivered the fowls, and informed me that you would 

 dine with me at four p. m I thought, of course, you would 

 like them thus, and so I had 'em roasted.' 



