He'd better come in."

The manner of the spectacled young man intensified. "I wish you'd come

out and persuade him to go away," he said. "His language--isn't quite

the thing--ladies."

"It never was," said the plump woman, her voice charged with sorrow.

Mr. Polly moved towards the door and stood with his hand on the

handle. The gold-spectacled face disappeared.

Now, my man," came his voice from outside, "be careful what you're

saying--"

Oo in all the World and Hereafter are you to call me, me man?" cried

Uncle Jim in the voice of one astonished and pained beyond endurance,

and added scornfully: "You gold-eyed Geezer, you!"

Tut, tut!" said the gentleman in gilt glasses. "Restrain yourself!"

Mr. Polly emerged, poker in hand, just in time to see what followed.

Uncle Jim in his shirtsleeves and a state of ferocious decolletage,

was holding something--yes!--a dead eel by means of a piece of

newspaper about its tail, holding it down and back and a little

sideways in such a way as to smite with it upward and hard. It struck

the spectacled gentleman under the jaw with a peculiar dead thud, and

309

The History of Mr Polly