Page:Henry rideout--The siamese cat.djvu/208

 on the present company, and am far from wishing to continue against the wishes o' any members that may be wishing me to stop. But when a man is asked to sing, and I may say urged to sing, and is only willing to oblige by singing, then—"

"I'm sorry to interrupt you," said Owen, amicably. "I didn't mean to make a disturbance,—and apologize for intruding."

Flushed, dripping with sweat, and smeared full-length with mud as from a street-fight, he focused the attention of the roomful. "This animal here is a pet that escaped from shipboard. I've chased him all the way from the German Mail dock—probably lost my steamer. And now this man claims him, and refuses to give him up."

"Stow your nonsense, there, Bob," commanded the singer. He consulted a fat silver watch. "You may have time to