could feel both knees get up and leave my legs.

I pulled myself together, picked up a pack of cards and began to do
things with the deck that no mortal man ever saw before, while
Bunch stood in the wings with his teeth chattering so loud they
sounded like a pedestal clog accompaniment.

Then I picked up an egg where Skinski had placed it on the tabaret
and started in to do something mysterious with it.

Just as I raised the egg to show it to the audience I got a flash
of the stage box on my right, and there, gazing curiously at me,
sat Peaches and Alice Grey and Aunt Martha.

I was so surprised I dropped the egg, and it lay at my feet in the
form of an omelet, while the house roared with joy.

[Illustration: I was so surprised I dropped the egg.]

At this moment Skinski bounded on the stage, bowed right and left,
and in five words he made it appear that I was only a comedy
curtain raiser.

Say! I never was so glad to see anybody in all my life.

I backed off the stage, and he pulled something on my exit that got
an awful laugh.

I didn't care. I was so delighted that Skinski was there that I
nearly hugged Dodo.