At ten o'clock he heard the footsteps of Mr. Mott descending the stairs.
The door opened an inch, and a gruff voice demanded to know whether he
was going to stay there all night. Receiving a cheerful reply in the
affirmative, Mr. Mott secured the front door with considerable violence,
and went off to bed without another word.
He was awakened an hour or two later by the sound of something falling,
and, sitting up in bed to listen, became aware of a warm and agreeable
odour. It was somewhere about the hour of midnight, but a breakfast
smell of eggs and bacon would not be denied.
He put on some clothes and went downstairs. A crack of light showed
under the kitchen door, and, pushing it open with some force, he gazed
spellbound at the spectacle before him.
"Come in," said Mr. Hurst, heartily. "I've just finished."
He rocked an empty beer-bottle and patted another that was half full.
Satiety was written on his face as he pushed an empty plate from him,
and, leaning back in his chair, smiled lazily at Mr.
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