Page:Ballantyne--The Battery and the Boiler.djvu/373

 around him began to tell upon Robin, and he suggested that they had better go on deck for a little fresh air.

"I 'll not budge," said Sam, positively. "Why, the best is yet to come."

Saying this, to the surprise of Robin, Sam rose, went forward to the table, and asked permission to make a few remarks.

"Who is he?—what? eh!" exclaimed the chairman. "Turn him out," cried one. "Sit down," cried another, "No, no, let him speak," cried a third. "Don't you know it is Samuel Shipton, the great electrician?"

"Bravo! go on! speak out!" cried several voices, accompanied by loud applause.

"Gentlemen," began Sam in his softest voice, "I regard this as one of the greatest occasions of—of—my life." (Hear! hear! from a fussy guest; and Hush! hush! and then we shall hear here better, from an angry one). "I little thought," continued Sam, warming apparently with his subject—or the heat, "little thought that on this great occasion I could—could—I could (would or should; go on, man, from an impatient guest).

"Oh, Sam, don't stick!" cried Robin, in an agony of anxiety.

"Who's that? Put him out!" chorused several voices indignantly.