They ascended to the first floor and passed into a room where little could be seen but the gas-jets, and those dimly, owing to the fume of pipes.

The rattle of bones, the strumming of a banjo, and a voice raised at intervals in a kind of whoop announced that a nigger entertainment was in progress.

Recreation of this kind is not uncommon on Sunday evening at the workmen's clubs; you will find it announced in the remarkable list of lectures, &c., printed in certain Sunday newspapers.

The company which was exerting itself in the present instance had at all events an appreciative audience; laughter and applause broke forth very frequently.
'I'd forgot it was this kind o' thing to-night,' said Hewett, when he could discover no vacant seat.

'Do you care about it?
No more don't I; let's go down into the readin'-room.' Downstairs they established themselves at their ease.