| 127 | 128 | 129 | 130 | 131 |
| 1 | 133 | 265 | 398 | 530 |
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round fat figure. Mr Codlin drew his sleeve across his lips, and said in
a murmuring voice, 'What is it?'
'
It's a stew of tripe,' said the landlord smacking his lips, 'and cow-
heel,' smacking them again, 'and bacon,' smacking them once more,
and steak,' smacking them for the fourth time, 'and peas,
'
cauliflowers, new potatoes, and sparrow-grass, all working up together
in one delicious gravy.' Having come to the climax, he smacked his
lips a great many times, and taking a long hearty sniff of the fragrance
that was hovering about, put on the cover again with the air of one
whose toils on earth were over.
'At what time will it be ready?' asked Mr Codlin faintly.
'
It'll be done to a turn,' said the landlord looking up to the clock - and
the very clock had a colour in its fat white face, and looked a clock for
jolly Sandboys to consult - 'it'll be done to a turn at twenty-two
minutes before eleven.'
'
Then,' said Mr Codlin, 'fetch me a pint of warm ale, and don't let
nobody bring into the room even so much as a biscuit till the time
arrives.'
Nodding his approval of this decisive and manly course of procedure,
the landlord retired to draw the beer, and presently returning with it,
applied himself to warm the same in a small tin vessel shaped funnel-
wise, for the convenience of sticking it far down in the fire and getting
at the bright places. This was soon done, and he handed it over to Mr
Codlin with that creamy froth upon the surface which is one of the
happy circumstances attendant on mulled malt.
Greatly softened by this soothing beverage, Mr Codlin now bethought
him of his companions, and acquainted mine host of the Sandboys
that their arrival might be shortly looked for. The rain was rattling
against the windows and pouring down in torrents, and such was Mr
Codlin's extreme amiability of mind, that he more than once expressed
his earnest hope that they would not be so foolish as to get wet.
At length they arrived, drenched with the rain and presenting a most
miserable appearance, notwithstanding that Short had sheltered the
child as well as he could under the skirts of his own coat, and they
were nearly breathless from the haste they had made. But their steps
were no sooner heard upon the road than the landlord, who had been
at the outer door anxiously watching for their coming, rushed into the
kitchen and took the cover off. The effect was electrical. They all came
in with smiling faces though the wet was dripping from their clothes
upon the floor, and Short's first remark was, 'What a delicious smell!'
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