"Chorus once more, please, gentlemen!" shouted Dicky. "Last time!"
"CHORUS ONCE MORE, PLEASE, GENTLEMEN!"
The refined and elevating pæan rolled forth, Dicky conducting:--
"Beer, Beer, glorious Beer!
Fill yourself right up to here!
(Illustrative gesture.)
Take a good deal of it,
Make a good meal of it--"
With head thrown back and mouth wide open, I shouted with the rest--and--caught the eye of Miss Hilda Beverley! She was standing exactly opposite to me on the other side of the circle. Next moment she was gone.
————
It was the accompanist who gave in first. For nearly half an hour his aged but nimble fingers had followed the singer's most extravagant flights, and he now began obviously to falter.
Dicky seized this opportunity to conclude his performance.
"That is all, gentlemen," he said, with a flourish of his hat. "I know no more. Thank you for your kind attention and assistance. But don't go away. I am going to ask the Colonel here to carry his hat round."