"Anything in my line, sir, to-day ?" "No!" answered Eric, rising up in a gust of indignation.

"What business have you here?
Get away instantly." "Not had much custom from you lately, sir," said the man.
"What do you mean by having the insolence to begin talking to me?
If you don't make yourself scarce at once, I'll--" "O well," said the man; "if it comes to that, I've business enough.
Perhaps you'll just pay me this debt," he continued, changing his fawning manner into a bullying swagger.

"I've waited long enough." Eric, greatly discomfited, took the dirty bit of paper.

It purported to be a bill for various items of drink, all of which Eric _knew_ to have been paid for, and among other things, a charge of L6 for the dinner at the "Jolly Herring." "Why, you villain, these have all been paid.

What! six pounds for the dinner! Why Brigson collected the subscriptions to pay for it before it took place." "That's now't to me, sir.