Mr. Scutts, past speech, raised his clenched fists to the ceiling.

“He'll 'ave to stay in your bed,” continued the voice of Mrs. Scutts. “He's got a good 'art, and I know he'll do it; won't you, Jim?”

“He'll 'ave to stay in your bed,” continued the voice of Mrs. Scutts. “He's got a good 'art, and I know he'll do it; won't you, Jim?”

Mr. Flynn pondered. “Tell my landlady in the morning that I've took your back room,” he said. “What a fortunit thing it is I'm out o' work. What are you walking up and down like that for, Bill? Back coming on agin?”

Mr. Flynn pondered. “Tell my landlady in the morning that I've took your back room,” he said. “What a fortunit thing it is I'm out o' work. What are you walking up and down like that for, Bill? Back coming on agin?”

“Then o' course,” pursued the voice of Mrs. Scutts, in meditative accents, “there's the club doctor and the other gentleman that knows Bill. They might come at any moment. There's got to be two Bills in bed, so that if one party comes one Bill can nip into the back room, and if the other Bill—party, I mean—comes, the other Bill—you know what I mean!”

“Then o' course,” pursued the voice of Mrs. Scutts, in meditative accents, “there's the club doctor and the other gentleman that knows Bill. They might come at any moment. There's got to be two Bills in bed, so that if one party comes one Bill can nip into the back room, and if the other Bill—party, I mean—comes, the other Bill—you know what I mean!”

Mr. Scutts swore himself faint.

Mr. Scutts swore himself faint.

“That's 'ow it is, mate,” said Mr. Flynn. “It's no good standing there saying your little piece of poetry to yourself. Take off your clo'es and get to bed like a little man. Now! now! Naughty! Naughty!”

“That's 'ow it is, mate,” said Mr. Flynn. “It's no good standing there saying your little piece of poetry to yourself. Take off your clo'es and get to bed like a little man. Now! now! Naughty! Naughty!”

“P'r'aps I oughtn't to 'ave let 'em up, Bill,” said his wife; “but I was afraid they'd smell a rat if I didn't. Besides, I was took by surprise.”

“P'r'aps I oughtn't to 'ave let 'em up, Bill,” said his wife; “but I was afraid they'd smell a rat if I didn't. Besides, I was took by surprise.”

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