“Yes, yes,” cried several voices; “business first.”
The Husher called out “Silence! silence!” in a dignified way. “I think you had better sit down, though,” he added, turning to the Wallypug.
“Very well, your Majesty,” said the Wallypug, looking greatly relieved and sitting down immediately.
The Husher then walked over to the Fish and seemed to be asking him some question, to which the Fish evidently replied in the affirmative, for the Husher looked very pleased and immediately announced,—
“Ladies and gentlemen——”
“What about us?” screamed the Cockatoo.
“And others,” continued the Husher, giving a glance in her direction. “You will be pleased to hear that the Lecture to-day will be given by A. Fish, Esq., and the subject is one which will no doubt interest you all. It is ‘The Whichness of the What as compared to the Thatness of the Thus.’”
A storm of applause followed this announcement, in the midst of which the Fish arose, assisted by his friend the Calf, who, so soon as he had helped him to stand, ran hurriedly out of the room, returning almost immediately with a large kettle of boiling water and some more mustard. These he poured hastily into the tub, stirring it round and round and gazing up anxiously into the Fish’s face.
“THE FISH GASPED ONCE OR TWICE.”