After Ralph left, so tradition states, their glee ran so high that they ordered in a dozen of champagne, and in the midst of their merriment, the party having somewhat increased in numbers, they commenced to sing. There is a legend afoot also that a duet was sung between a jobber and a broker, as follows:

'Come, boys, we're making money every hour,

Put down your books-the clock is striking four.
By Jove we never shall be short of tin
While "outside" fools will let us take 'em in.

Chorus. For we are bulling jobber-thieves! Hurrah! hurrah!
And we are bearing broker-robbers. Hurrah! hurrah!

'To-morrow we must get in their good graces,
Assume, with button-holes, bland, smiling faces.
If Th' Age won't help us, we must try another,
Or buy them all up-'twould save lots of bother.
Chorus. For we are, &c.

'Let's start a paper-'twould sell well in Undone.
The Do-'em-easy—that sounds like a great gun
To gull the public! well, we'd sell it cheaply,
And circulate it broadly, widely, deeply.
Chorus. For we are, &c.

'The public are such asses! Let us do it.
They'll quickly follow when we've fixed unto it

66

The stamp of th' " Undone Vortex" on the cover;
So say the word, nor stop to think it over.

Chorus. For we are, &c.

'Our deeds are dark and secret! 'twould be folly
To let "outsiders" in. Oh, ain't it jolly!

They're in our toils, we know; we'll keep 'em there too,
And revel in the wealth which they are heir to.

Chorus. For we are, &c.

'We'll put good "leaders" in our new Sensation,
T'allure the "outside" fools of this old nation!
We'll rob them right and left-the while grow fatter.
So long as we get rich, what does it matter?

Chorus. For we are, &c.

'How shall we "cater"? 'Coz no go's the Syndicate;
The people are big fools, but yet are too irate
To swallow every bait. Too fast they're growing
Au fait at footballs," "rigs," and bubble-blowing!
Chorus. For we are, &c.

'True, true, my brother-jobbers, soon may tighten
The money market. Meantime, haste to Triton;
Turn inside out The Grand, while tipping waiters,
Astonish demoiselles, their mas and paters.

Chorus. For we are, &c.

'I'm on, my brother brokers! Ain't it fine, O?
When there, we've always got to tip the rhino.
What's that to fellas who are game to win it
At rate of cent per cent each blessed minute?
Chorus. For we are, &c.

'So now good-night, my boys; we'll meet to-morrow,
And 'tice young gamesters on to steal or borrow
To satisfy our greed while many a furrow
Is traced on aged brow-burnt in with sorrow!
Jobbers For we are jolly bulling jobber-thieves.
Chorus. And we are jolly bulling jobber-thieves !
Brokers' For we are jolly bearing broker-robbers. Hurrah! hurrah!
Chorus. And we are jolly bearing broker-robbers !'

Hurrah! hurrah!

CHAPTER XV.

'What, though the field be lost! All is not lost; th' unconquerable will And study of revenge, immortal hate,

And courage never to submit or yield.'-MILTON.

The

IT was a fine October morning. Suddenly a clang of music burst upon the ear. Horses started, or careered in wild, excited movement. Boys shouted, men hurrahed, and girls waved their pocket-handkerchiefs and parasols. Flags fluttered in the breeze, while stalwart men were to be seen carrying huge banners. effect was indescribable. Down with the Vortex!' shouted a lusty Heartshire man. No more Vortex Committee !' hundreds of hearty Undone citizens proclaimed, while cries of 'Down with the Villains!' 'Smash up the Blood-suckers!' 'National Stock and Share Market!' &c. &c., rent the air.

Men with placards on their backs paraded Foreigner's Square. On one was printed in huge red characters upon a black ground, 'I was ruined by the Beloved Silver Mine! On another, 'The Metal Mountains Debenture Swindle haunts me to my grave!' A third proclaimed 'Avaunt Wee Countree Public Robbery Company while a fourth declared 'Ha, Backaway hath taken me in, yea, verily !' Another huge placard, of a similar character, announced A bas les Vampyres !' It was carried by four natives of the Polite Countree, who had been turned out of their residences in Foreigner's Square by Todigrab's executors, the rents on his contiguous property having risen so.

'Well, Locock,' said Joshua Strange, meeting Sir Manfred the same morning in Undone city, 'am glad to see you looking so well.'

'Ah, Mr. Strange,' replied Sir Manfred, speaking for the world in general, 'don't joke! We none of us look too well, or feel so, either. If I only had a better appetite now, or could get more sleep' (Sir M. retired regularly by ten now), or had a less active brain,-ah, what poor creatures we are!'

'Come now,' replied Joshua; 'I don't think you should complain; really you look the picture of health.'

'If I had only put on an extra flannel, for the wind is in the East, and oh-'

Sir Manfred felt for his knee-cap, and vowing that the other one was also getting out of place from force of sympathy, and the injured one was gone altogether, said he must see his doctor at once. Upon being reminded by his friend of his engagement to preside at a public meeting, they hailed a hansom and drove off to Loud Park together, Joshua feeling inwardly savage all the time that a man like Sir Manfred, who, having an almost unlimited range over Nature's fields and pastures gay, looked as well and hearty as a buck in consequence, should invariably be found ready to indulge his humour for a good grumble whenever he met a friend, who, not being so highly favoured by fortune, really required the relaxation which fate had so liberally accorded the other.

The people were holding a meeting in the most fashionable park of Undone. A hundred 'House' telegraphs were soon at work; each word uttered was noiselessly transmitted to a hundred centres in the park. When the great centre cheered all cheered. I took my station in an old elm-tree, and implored them to be silent, but they were deaf to all entreaty. When they cheered, and the autumn leaves and branches came rattling down, I lost my hold and fell into a chink of the old elm-tree, which held me tight until they cheered again, when I was released. If one centre asked, and I heard but indistinctly, 'When your interests and theirs clash, shall yours-the People's-suffer?' all the centres asked the same. Again, 'Hear that widow's voice! She trusted the Committee. She is ruined, for the loan is unsaleable in the market! (Loud hootings.) Robbery made lawful! Multitudes become Dupes! Unparalleled audacity! False and unscrupulous statements ! Fraud and wilful misrepresentations ! Supposed sanctity of a Great Name! Ambassador from the Great Countree! (Cries of "Almighty dollar!" "Might with shame!" "Might with robbery !" &c.) A soldier, and therefore a gentleman, trusted by the multitude, who by him were led to their ruin. He serves the purpose of the hour-gracefully retires when the mischief's done. Too late! the ruin of the multitude

Q

lies at his door, and yet his Countree keeps him in his proud position (Shame!) while he is courted everywhere. (A voice, "Oh, Brother Jonathan !" another, "How about his coadjutor?") Dead and gone, thank righteous Heaven,' said the speaker, who turned out to be Charles Markham; but listen, ye people! "with the reward of iniquity" he purchased the "field of blood." I hurl it on his grave-Aceldama! Bought,' continued he, in measured tones, 'with the price of Blood, even the Blood of his Victims. Shall he mock you in his grave? Will you not reconvey Aceldama to the survivors of this Great Betrayer of Innocence-this Despoiler of Youth-this Desolater of Homes?'

It is utterly beyond me to attempt to do justice to the scene which followed this striking appeal. I will not insult your understanding, sir, by making the attempt. The enthusiasm which broke in upon the display of this magnificent torrent of feeling was as unique as the sentiments uttered.

Many wished to speak, especially Sir Watt Scroughem, Bart., who was now a convert to the people's cause, and who was one of its foremost champions. He did begin, but all I could hear were the words, 'My noble friend, the late Marquis, whom chance threw in my way, he had a kindly heart—a kindly beaming eye-and they did wonders; they live long, long after their possessor has mingled with the dust. A great and noble race is now laid low. You all loved the Marquis-you love him still. (Violent cries, "We do, we do we love him still.") Your sense of justice used not to fail through the stormiest of the dark ages; shall it now? (Sensation.) Our Old Countree is proverbial for its hatred of injustice, oppression, cruelty, and unfair dealing. It is, and ever was, the proud champion of fair play and honourable dealing, whether in the field of politics, of commerce, or of internal polity. It yields, in its estimation and regard for the heroic virtues, to no nation in the world. This is no flattery. You cannot help yourselves. Once move the . nation's mind, its will,—and nothing ever yet dreamed of exceeds your enthusiasm. I am not simple enough to imagine,' continued Sir Watt, that the affairs of the world could be conducted without regard to those considerations arising out of the promptings of self-interest. But is that to say that all fine sentiments, all noble emotions, all chivalrous, kindly, genial feelings, are to be stamped out of our natures, and trodden under foot in our dealings with each other, and with those more especially who, by virtue of their position, can never hope to vie with us, in intelligence and information, regarding the concerns of life? Are poesy and passion to have no influence on the affairs

we call "business"? Are the crushing sorrows of the helpless dupe to go for ever unheeded? Who among you would refuse to assist a fellow-creature in the streets rendered helpless by reason of infirmity or age? To such, undoubtedly, you would be ready to extend a helping hand. Must it be said, then, that those unfortunates, whom some among you have helped to trample under foot and despoil, and who are leading lives of misery in consequence, are to be left to their wretched fates, while you pass calmly over on "to the other side"?'

I thought, sir, I had seen and heard everything. I had certainly wandered through Space without let or hindrance, but I never had yet heard such a ringing cheer as those few words called forth, nor discovered created beings with natures such as yours. That meeting was moved indeed, and their cheers were ringing clear as bells in winter.'

A resolution was put and carried unanimously, to petition Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen of the Old Countree, in the same manner as the Houses of Parliament had been before. It is needless to say that this was done with acclamation.

Owing to a happy thought, Sir Manfred proposed the following Resolution, which was carried atmospherically: That in the opinion of this meeting it is most earnestly desirable to obtain the Whispering Agency of the Spectre' (enormous cheering, which lasted I couldn't help it, sir-on and off, thirty-five minutes; I did feel sad, knowing how soon I should have to leave those dear Old Countree-ans), 'to influence the hearts of the Women of the Old Countree towards bringing about the great object we have in view.'

And I danced about in mid-air-how I loved them all-rattling my old limbs again in a vain attempt to convince them that my approval was secured. In one moment more I was floating away on the still autumn air, while the warm halo of myriads of true hearts pervaded every Spectral sense. I resolved even to out-do myself and deserve their hearty approbation. Breathing to the park-keeper as I flitted by, 'Mum's the word, you know; but the Spectre is all there,' I was about to steer off into Space, but on second thoughts I said, 'No, tell 'em I like 'em-I will!'

And they all came away so jolly; and it was telegraphed and trumpeted and blasted around, for there were at least a dozen bands upon the spot; and before night it was known in every town and village in the Old Countree, and many others too, that I, the Spectre, was going to see the Women of the Old Countree, and was-all there!