The cheers which followed the narration of the curious resolve of Lang
Tammas and Drumsheugh were vociferous, and Berkeley Hights sat down with
a flush of pleasure on his face. He construed these as directed towards
himself and his contribution to the diversion of the evening. It never
entered into his mind that the applause involved a bit of subtle
appreciation of the kindness of Tammas and of Drumsheugh to the reading
public in thus declining to give them more of something of which they
had already had enough.
When the cheers had subsided Mr. Jones rose from his chair and
congratulated the club upon its exhibit.
"Even if you have but faintly re-echoed the weaknesses of the strong,"
he said, "you have done well, and I congratulate you. It is not every
man in your walk in life who can write as grammatically as you have
dreamed. I have failed to detect in any one of the stories or poems thus
far read a single grammatical error, and I have no doubt that the
manuscripts that you have read from are gratifyingly free from mistakes
in spelling as well, so that, from a newspaper man's stand-point, I see
no reason why you should not get these proceedings published, especially
if you do it at your own expense.
"I now declare The Dreamers adjourned _sine die_!"
"Not much!" cried the members, unanimously. "Where's your contribution?"
"Out with it, William!" shouted Tom Snobbe. "I can tell by the set of
your coat that you've got a manuscript concealed in your pocket."
"There's nothing ruins the set of a coat more quickly than a rejected
manuscript in the pocket," put in Hudson Rivers. "I've been there
myself--so, as Lang Tammas said, Billy, 'Pit it oot, and get it
crackit.'"
"Well," Jones replied, with a pleased smile, "to tell you the truth,
gentlemen, I had come prepared in case I was called upon; but the hour
is late," he added, after the manner of one who, though willing, enjoyed
being persuaded. "Perhaps we had better postpone--"
"Out with it, old man. It is late, but it will be later still if you
don't hurry up and begin," said Tenafly Paterson.
"Very well, then, here goes," said Jones. "Mine is a ghost-story,
gentlemen, and it is called 'The Involvular Club; or, The Return of the
Screw.' It is, like the rest of the work this evening, imitative, after
a fashion, but I think it will prove effective."
[Illustration: MR. JONES BEGINS]
Mr. Jones hereupon took the manuscript from his bulging pocket and read
as follows: