"Thunder and devils, there's nothing for it but to prop him up on the balcony!" said General Belch. "Come now, heave to, every body, and stick him on his pins." Abel looked sleepily round, with his eyes half closed and his under lip hanging. "'Tain't no use," said he, thickly; "'tain't no use." And he leered and laughed. The perspiring and indignant politicians grasped him--Slugby and William Condor under the arms, Belch on one side, and Ele ready to help any where. They raised their friend to his feet, while his head rolled slowly round from one side to the other, with a maudlin grin. "'Tain't no use," he said. Indeed, when they had him fairly on his feet nothing further seemed to be possible. They were all holding him and looking very angry, while they heard the loud and imperative--"Newt! Newt! Newt!" accompanied with unequivocal signs of impatience in an occasional stone or chip that rattled against the blinds. In the midst of it all the form of the drunken man slipped back upon the sofa, and sitting there leaning on his hands, which rested on his knees, and with his head heavily hanging forward, he lifted his forehead, and, seeing the utterly discomfited group standing perplexed before him, he said, with a foolish smile, "Let's all sit down." There was a moment of hopeless and helpless inaction. Then suddenly General Belch laid his hands upon the sofa on which Abel was lying, and moved it toward the window. "Now," cried he to the others, "open the blinds, and we'll make an end of it." Enos Slugby raised the window and obeyed. The crowd below, seeing the opening blinds and the lights, shouted lustily. "Now then," cried the General, "boost him up a moment and hold him forward. Heave ho! all together." They raised the inert body, and half-lifted, half-slid it forward upon the narrow balcony. "Here, Slugby, you prop him behind; and you, Ele and Condor, one on each side. There! that's it! Now we have him. I'll speak to the people." So saying, the General removed his hat and bowed very low to the crowd in the street. There was a great shout, "Three cheers for Newt!" and the three cheers rang loudly out. "'Tain't Newt," cried a sharp voice: "it's Belch." "Three cheers for Belch!" roared an enthusiastic somebody. "D---- Belch," cried the sharp voice. "Hi! hi!" roared the chorus; while the torches waved and the drums rolled once more. During all this time General Arcularius Belch had been bowing profoundly and grimacing in dumb show to the crowd, pointing at Abel Newt, who stood, ingeniously supported, his real state greatly concealed by the friendly night. "Gentlemen!" cried Belch, in a piercing voice. "H'st! h'st! Down, down! Silence," in the crowd.