,andastheydrankbeer,Harry,whowasagreatsportsman,gavethemagraphicaccountofaprize-fighthehadseenonthepreviousSaturdayevening,whichhadbeenrenderedspeciallymemorablebyonemanbeingsohurtthathehaddiedfromtheeffects.Ithadevidentlybeenaveryfineaffair,andHarrysaidthatseveralswellsfromtheWestEndhadbeenpresent,andherelatedtheirludicrouseffortstogetinwithoutbeingseenbyanyone,andtheirterrorwhensomeonetofrightenthemcalledout'Copper!'ThenTomandheenteredintoadiscussiononthesubjectofboxing,inwhichTom,beingashyandundogmaticsortofperson,wasentirelyworsted.Afterthistheystrolledbacktothebrake,andfoundthingsbeingpreparedforluncheonthehamperswerebroughtoutandemptied,andthebottlesofbeeringreatprofusionmademanyathirstymouththirstier.
'Comealong,lidiesan'gentlemen—ifyouaregentlemen,'shoutedthecoachman'theanimalsisnowgoin'terbefed!'
'Garnawy,'answeredsomebody,'we'renothanimalswedon'tdrinkwater.'
'You'retooclever,'remarkedthecoachman'Icanseeyou'vejustcomefromtheboardschool.'
Astheformerspeakerwasaladyofquitematureappearance,theremarkwasnotwithoutitslittleirony.Theothermanblewhishornbywayofgrace,atwhichLizacalledouttohim:
'Don'tdothet,you'llbust,Iknowyouwill,an'ifyoubustyou'llquitespoilmydinner!'
Thentheyallsetto.Pork-pies,saveloys,sausages,coldpotatoes,hard-boiledeggs,coldbacon,veal,ham,crabsandshrimps,cheese,butter,coldsuet-puddingsandtreacle,gooseberry-tarts,cherry-tarts,butter,bread,moresausages,andyetagainpork-pies!Theydevouredtheprovisionslikeraveningbeasts,stolidly,silently,earnestly,inlargemouthfulswhichtheyshoveddowntheirthroatsunmasticated.TheintelligentforeignerseeingthemthusdisposeoftheirfoodwouldhaveunderstoodwhyEnglandisagreatnation.HewouldhaveunderstoodwhyBritonsnever,neverwillbeslaves.Theyneverstoppedexcepttodrink,andthenateachgulptheyemptiedtheirglassnoheel-taps!Andstilltheyate,andstilltheydrank—butasallthingsmustcease,theystoppedatlast,andalongsighofcontentbrokefromtheirtwo-and-thirtythroats.
Thenthegatheringbrokeup,andthegoodfolkpairedthemselvesandseparated.Harryandhisladystrolledofftosecludedbywaysintheforest,sothattheymightd