_Miss H._ [_finding on the mantel-piece a champagne bottle marked "ætat 21"_]. Oh, look at this! _Burl._ [_aside over screen_]. Now she has got hold of the memento of Steve's birthday. What next? _Mrs. H._ [_putting on glasses and taking bottle_]. Hm! I suppose that Mr. Burleigh also drinks. I hope my son does all in his power to restrain his comrade. _Miss H._ I am so glad we are going to see the great Ned Burleigh at last. Steve says he is so interesting--such a _funny_ old bird. _Burl._ [_aside_]. Damn him! _Mrs. H._ I wonder where they are. One of them must be around, for they would not both go away, and leave their light burning. We cannot wait much longer. [_Enter Hudson, hurriedly._] _Hud._ Forgot my gloves, of course, and had to come back. Hullo, mother! why, how did you two get here? _Mrs. H._ Didn't you get my telegram? _Hud._ Telegram? No, I suppose the boy will leave it, on his way to breakfast, in the morning. _Mrs. H._ We had to come out to Cambridge to a dinner at Prof. Fullaloves, and thought we would stop on the way back with the carriage, and take you boys into the Assembly. I telegraphed you this afternoon. _Hud._ Well, it is lucky I came back. Have you been here long? Have you seen Ned Burleigh? _Miss H._ Your chum? No. _Hud._ That is good. He must have started in. If you had dropped in on Ned all alone here, he would have had twenty Dutch fits. _Miss H._ Now, Steve, before we go, you must show us all your things. [_Picking up photographs from mantel-piece_] Why, who are these? _Hud._ Those, er--oh--ah--those--yes. Those are some of my chum's relations. [_Aside_] Ned will forgive me for the emergency. _Burl._ [_aside over screen_]. Well, I'll be---- _Mrs. H._ I thought those were not yours, dear. _Miss H._ They are all in costume, aren't they. _Hud._ Yes, yes, private theatricals, you know. The Burleighs are all great on private theatricals. [_Enter Prof. Shreedy from Hudson's bedroom._] _Shr._ [_aside_]. Begob, I have him now. [_Aside to Hud._] Mr. Hudson! _Hud._ [_turning_]. What! The devil! Shreedy! What do you want here? [_Takes him down to front._] _Shr._ A little matter of business. Look here, cully, I want dat ten dollars you owe me for sparrin', dat's what I want. Better let me have it and not make a fuss before de ladies, see? _Burl._ [_aside, over screen_]. Hurray, bind on Steve. Serves him right. _Hud._ I haven't ten dollars, Shreedy. I haven't a cent. Now, do clear out, and I'll see you some other time about it. _Shr._ Naw, some other time won't do. _Hud._ I can't talk to you now before my family. It is bad enough to have them see you round here at all. _Shr._ Dat's all right. Tell 'em I'm your chum. Just watch me do the nobby. [_Smirks and waves his hat at ladies._] _Hud._ [_aside_]. Oh, this is awful! _Mrs. H._ Stephen, who is this person? _Hud._ [_aside_]. There is no other way out of it. I can explain later [_aloud_.] This, mother, is my dear old chum, Edward Burleigh.