again, but he never took his eyes off Jurgis. He was
perfectly sober, was the Admiral.

The butler had closed the door, and he stood by it,
watching Jurgis every second. Now there came footsteps
outside, and, as he opened the door a man in livery entered,
carrying a folding-table, and behind him two men with
covered trays. They stood like statues while the first
spread the table and set out the contents of the trays upon
it. There were cold pates, and thin slices of meat, tiny
bread and butter sandwiches with the crust cut off, a bowl
of sliced peaches and cream (in January), little fancy cakes,
pink and green and yellow and white, and half a dozen
ice-cold bottles of wine.

"Thass the stuff for you!" cried Master Freddie, ex~
ultantly, as he spied them. "Come 'long, ole chappie,
move up."

And he seated himself at the table; the waiter pulled a
cork, and he took the bottle and poured three glasses of
its contents in succession down his throat. Then he gave
a long-drawn sigh, and cried again to Jurgis to seat him~
self.

The butler held the chair at the opposite side of the
table, and Jurgis thought it was to keep him out of it;
but finally he understand that it was the other's intention
to put it under him, and so he sat down, cautiously and
mistrustingly. Master Freddie perceived that the attend~
ants embarrassed him, and he remarked, with a nod to
them, "You may go."

They went, all save the butler.

"You may go too, Hamilton," he said.

"Master Frederick--" the man began.

"Go!" cried the youngster, angrily. "Damn you,
don't you hear me?"

The man went out and closed the door; Jurgis, who
was as sharp as he, observed that he took the key out of
the lock, in order that he might peer through the key~
hole.

Master Frederick turned to the table again. "Now,"
he said, "go for it."

[[288]]

p287 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p288w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p289

v?