"Why, thin, God bless your honour," said Jerry Gallagher, "it's a small liggacy he would have that would dippind for his daily bread for what is left behind any of ye in the way of the drink--and this blessed hour there's not as much as would blind the left eye of a midge in one of them pots--and may it do you all good, if it ain't the blessing of heaven to see you eating. By my sowl, he that has to pick a bone after you, won't be much troubled with the mate. Howsomever--" "No more prate," said Jack Ginger. "Here's twopence for you to buy some beer--but, no," he continued, drawing his empty hand from that breeches-pocket into which he had most needlessly put it--"no," said he, "Jerry--get it on credit wherever you can, and bid them score it to me." "If they will--" said Jerry. "Shut the door," said Jack Ginger, in a peremptory tone, and Jerry retreated. "That Jerry," said Jack, "is an uncommonly honest fellow, only he is the d----dest rogue in London. But all this is wasting time--and time is life. Dinner is over, and the business of the evening is about to begin. So, bumpers, gentlemen, and get rid of this wine as fast as we can. Mr Vice, look to your bottles." And on this, Jack Ginger gave a bumper toast. CHAPTER III. HOW WE CONVERSED AT JACK GINGER'S. This being done, every man pulled in his chair close to the table, and prepared for serious action. It was plain that we all, like Nelson's sailors at Trafalgar, felt called upon to do our duty. The wine circulated with considerable rapidity; and there was no flinching on the part of any individual of the company. It was quite needless for our president to remind us of the necessity of bumpers, or the impropriety of leaving heel-taps. We were all too well trained to require the admonition, or to fall into the error. On the other hand, the chance of any man obtaining more than his share in the round was infinitesimally small. The Sergeant himself, celebrated as he is, could not have succeeded in obtaining a glass more than his neighbours. Just to our friends, we were also just to ourselves; and a more rigid circle of philosophers never surrounded a board.