"Ah, theer's some un else," said Sim, and he sat down, while the sentries repeated their formula; the voices outside replied in due order, with the requisite pass-words, and three more entered to swell the little crowd. Sim then rose again, more important than ever. "Now, then, brother sitterzens," he began, "as I believe all the paytriots are here, we will now proceed to business." "Howd hard a minnit," said Big Harry, who occupied a central position, "I want another gill o' ale." Sim hammered the table with his little mallet, and exclaimed angrily, "Yow can't hev it now: don't you see the brotherhood is setting?" "'Arf on 'em's a stanning," said Big Harry, with a grin; "and if you're goin' to hev all this dry wuck, I must wet it." "Hee-ar! hee-ar!" shouted two or three voices. "But don't yow see as the brotherhood is a setting?" cried Sim. "The door is closed now, and we're in secret conclave." "I don't keer nowt about no secret concave," growled Big Harry. "A mun hev another gill o' ale." "Let's hev some more drink, then," cried several voices. "Yow can't, I tell you," cried Sim. "We're a setting wi' closed doors." "Open 'em, then," said Harry, "or I will. Here, summun, a gill o' ale." "And I wants some 'bacco," said another voice. Sim hammered away at the board for a bit, when Harry exclaimed, leaning his great arms on the table, and grinning, "Say, lads, I niver see owd Simmy handle a harmmer like that up at th' wucks." "Silence!" roared Sim, in the midst of a hearty laugh from the men. "Fellow paytriots and sitterzens, as Grand Brother of this order, I say--eh, what?" Sim leaned down to the deputation, who had pulled his sleeve. "Better let them have in the drink," whispered Mr Barker, "it makes 'em more trackable." "All raight," said Sim, in an ill-used tone. "Here, send out for what's wanted, you two at the door, for no one isn't to enter." There was a bustle at the door after this, and various orders were shouted downstairs, and eagerly responded to by the landlord, who wanted to bring all in, but was stayed by the sentries. "Here, I say," said Sim to Mr Barker, "I shall lose all that speech 'fore I begin, if I have to wait much longer." "I'll prompt you," said Barker. "Eh?" said Sim. "I'll prompt you--help you." "Oh, all right; thankey. Kiver up them motters till the door's shoot close," he continued aloud; but as the door was on the point of being closed, Sim's order was not obeyed; and the ale and tobacco being handed to those who demanded them, Sim once more rose to begin, but only for a fresh clamour to arise from another party, whose "moogs" were empty, and while these were being filled, the swords were covered with a coat, and the mottoes turned to the wall. At length all were satisfied, and Sim Slee rose for the speech of the evening. "Brother workmen, mates, paytriots, and fellow sitterzens o' Doomford--" "He--ar, he--ar!"