He had hardly composed himself into the needful state of abstraction, when he thought he heard his own name proclaimed in some distant passage. Nor was he mistaken, for it quickly passed from mouth to mouth, and in a few seconds the air teemed with shouts of “Weller!”

“Here!” roared Sam, in a stentorian voice. “Wot’s the matter? Who wants him? Has an express come to say that his country house is afire?”

“Somebody wants you in the hall,” said a man who was standing by.

“Just mind that ’ere paper and the pot, old feller, will you?” said Sam. “I’m a-comin’. Blessed, if they was a-callin’ me to the bar, they couldn’t make more noise about it!”