I don't know what you've been a-doing of these last few days, nor what may have happened to each and all--but I've news.

Serious news--as I reckons it to be.

Of--Chatfield!" Copplestone kicked Vickers under the table and gave him a look.
"Chatfield again!" he murmured.

"Well, go on, Spurge." "There's a lot to go on with, too, guv'nor," said Spurge, after taking another evidently welcome drink.

"And I'll try to put it all in order, as it were--same as if I was in a witness-box," he added, with a sly glance at Vickers.