Andy was answering some questions of the inquisitive little man, when the
kitchen maid, handing the basting-ladle to Andy, begged him to do a good
turn and just to baste the beef for her, for that her heart was broke with
all she had to do, cooking dinner for so many.

Andy, always ready to oblige, consented, and plied the ladle actively
between the troublesome queries of the little man; but at last, getting
confused with some very crabbed questions put to him, Andy became
completely bothered, and lifting a brimming ladle of dripping, poured it
over the little man's coat instead of the beef.

A roar from the proprietor of the clothes followed, and he implanted a
kick at such advantage upon Andy, that he upset him into the dripping-pan;
and Andy, in his fall, endeavouring to support himself, caught at the
suspended articles above him, and the clothes, and the beef, and Andy, all
swam in gravy.

[Illustration: Andy's Cooking extraordinary]




CHAPTER XXV


While disaster and hubbub were rife below, the electors up-stairs were
holding a council whether it would not be better to send back the
"Honourable's" messenger to the town and request a supply of shoes, which
they had no other means of getting. The debate was of an odd sort; they
were all in their several beds at the time, and roared at each other