He nodded to the three barkeepers. "Is Dennis inside?" he asked.
"Yes, Misther Stirling. The regulars are all there."
Peter passed through the room, and went into another without knocking.
In it were some twenty men, sitting for the most part in attitudes
denoting ease. Two, at a small table in the corner, were playing
dominoes. Three others, in another corner, were amusing themselves with
"High, Low, Jack." Two were reading papers. The rest were collected
round the centre table, most of them smoking. Some beer mugs and
tumblers were standing about, but not more than a third of the twenty
were drinking anything. The moment Peter entered, one of the men jumped
to his feet.
"B'ys," he cried, "here's Misther Stirling. Begobs, sir, it's fine to
see yez. It's very scarce yez been lately." He had shaken hands, and
then put a chair in place for Peter.
The cards, papers, and dominoes had been abandoned the moment Dennis
announced Peter's advent, and when Peter had finished shaking the hands
held out to him, and had seated himself, the men were all gathered round
the big table.
Pages:
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480