"Young Master Wilding, Miss," Joey explained confidentially, though not
much to her enlightenment, "changed the luck, afore he took in young
Master George. So I say, and so they'll find. Lord! Only come into the
place and sing over the luck a few times, Miss, and it won't be able to
help itself!"

With this, and with a whole brood of ducks, Joey backed out of the
presence. But Joey being a privileged person, and even an involuntary
conquest being pleasant to youth and beauty, Marguerite merrily looked
out for him next time.

"Where is my Mr. Joey, please?" she asked Vendale.

So Joey was produced, and shaken hands with, and that became an
Institution.

Another Institution arose in this wise. Joey was a little hard of
hearing. He himself said it was "Wapours," and perhaps it might have
been; but whatever the cause of the effect, there the effect was, upon
him. On this first occasion he had been seen to sidle along the wall,
with his left hand to his left ear, until he had sidled himself into a
seat pretty near the singer, in which place and position he had remained,
until addressing to his friends the amateurs the compliment before
mentioned. It was observed on the following Wednesday that Joey's action
as a Pecking Machine was impaired at dinner, and it was rumoured about
the table that this was explainable by his high-strung expectations of
Miss Obenreizer's singing, and his fears of not getting a place where he
could hear every note and syllable. The rumour reaching Wilding's ears,
he in his good nature called Joey to the front at night before Marguerite
began. Thus the Institution came into being that on succeeding nights,