Thereupon followed a curious procession of tum tiddle, tum tiddle, tum tiddle, tiddle tums, varied by little tinkling outbursts upon the pianoforte, which there could be no doubt that Mr. Billy Cracker played astonishingly well.
"Easy or difficult to set?" inquired the Writer.
"Oh, child's play!"
"That's just what I want it for," remarked the Writer encouragingly, "child's play, and the sort of tune a child would sing whilst he played."
"Half a mo," murmured Billy, "I'm getting it fine—lum, lum, lum, lum, lum, lum, lum, lum, lum. Ha! What do you think of this?"
Out rippled a delicious melody, harmonised with rich full chords this time.
"That's it!" shouted the Writer excitedly. "Oh! lovely!! Billy, you're a treasure. Oh! play it again!"
Mr. Billy Cracker obligingly consented.
The Writer was dancing round the room and singing at one and the same time.
"Ripping! Billy, Ripping! Write it down at once!"