"I am going to toast my lovely ward," whispered Mr, DIBBLE to EDWIN;
"but I put BLADAMS first, because he was once a person to be respected,
and I treat him with politeness in place of a good salary."

"Success to the Bump," said EDWIN DROOD, rather struck by this piece of
practical economy, and newly impressed with the standard fact that
politeness costs nothing.

"And now," continued Mr. DIBBLE, with a wink in which his very ear
joined, "I give you the peerless Miss FLORA POTTS. BLADAMS, please
remember that there are others here to eat crackers besides yourself,
and join us in a health to Miss POTTS."

"Let the toast pass, drink to the lass!" cried Mr. BLADAMS, husky with
crackers. "All ale to her!"

"Count me in, too," assented EDWIN.

"Dear me!" said the old lawyer, breaking a momentary spell of terror
occasioned by Mr. BLADAMS having turned blue and nearly choked to death
in a surreptitious attempt to swallow a cracker which he had previously
concealed in one of his cheeks. "Dear me! although I am a square,
practical man, I do believe that I could draw a picture of a true
lover's state of mind to-night."

"A regular chromo," wheezed Mr. BLADAMS, encouragingly; pretending not
to notice that his employer was reaching an ineffectual arm after the
crackers at his own elbow.