“Now, now, now, now, now—what’s all this about?” Mr. Wellcome cried with mock severity.
Acclamations broke forth.
“Wellcome, by Jove!” cried Mr. Rainbow, in a sort of glad consternation.
“Bravo!” shouted Mr. Geake. “It’s old Wellcome!”
“Come in out o’ the wet!”
“Welcome, Wellcome!”
“Hooray!”
Mr. Wellcome came in, crossed straight to Miss Addams, kissed her without a moment’s hesitation (only remarking, “When the cat’s away—eh?”), slapped his hands loudly together, and then, turning his head half a dozen times this way and that, cried, “Well, and how are we all, eh?”
They cheered him again.