When on the following Thursday Dunstable walked into Ring's Stores
with his five guests, and demanded six public-school teas, the manager
was perhaps justified in allowing a triumphant smile to wander across
his face. It was a signal victory for him. "No free list to-day,
sir," he said. "Entirely suspended."

"Never mind," said Dunstable, "I'm good for six shillings."

"Free list?" said Merrett, as the manager retired, "I didn't know
there was one."

"There isn't. Only he and I palled up so much the other day that he
offered me a tea for nothing."

"Didn't you take it?"

"No. I went to Cook's."

"Rotten hole, Cook's. I'm never going there again," said Chadwick.
"You take my tip, Dun, old chap, and come here."

"Dun, old chap," smiled amiably.

"I don't know," he said, looking up from the tea-pot, into which he
had been pouring water; "you can be certain of the food at Cook's."

"What do you mean? So you can here."

"Oh," said Dunstable, "I didn't know. I've never had tea here before.
But I've often heard that American food upsets one sometimes."