he was fairly started on a long tirade.

"Oh, some seven years," he replied. "He was over here in '87 at the time
of the unemployed riots; he and I were at the bottom of a lot of that
movement, and we should have had all London in revolt had it not been for
the palaver and soft-soap of the official labour-leaders. After that he
went to America, and has only been back in England some six months."

Our preparations were now well advanced, and M'Dermott and I set out to
procure a barrow whereon to transport our belongings.

I had expected on my return to find everything in readiness. Short had
spoken as if he would work wonders, and I had hoped that within an hour we
should be off. What was my surprise, then, to find that during the
half-hour of my absence a change had come o'er the scene. Instead of the
noise of the mallet locking up forms, the melodious notes of a flute
greeted my ear as I approached the office, and I must confess that my
heart sank, though I was not yet prepared for the truth. On entering I
found things just as I had left them, not a whit more advanced, but Short
was again seated, and opposite him lounged the weak-kneed youth whom I had
noted on the occasion of my first group-meeting, Simpkins by name, as I
had since found out; between them stood the small hand-press which Short
had promised to take to pieces for removal, on the "bed" of which now
stood three bottles of ginger-beer, a parcel of repulsive and
indigestible-looking pastry, and a packet of tobacco. My look of dismay
and surprise was answered by Short, who explained that his friend had come
up, bringing with him the wherewithal for this carouse; which statement
Simpkins supplemented by the information that he had been occupied that
week in "planting" an aunt and possessing himself of his share of the
good lady's property.