With the passing of the flagons an electric current of good
fellowship flashed around the circle. Stories that would have been
received with but a bare smile at the club were here greeted with
shouts of laughter. Bon-mots, skits, puns and squibs mouldy with
age or threadbare with use, were told with a new gusto and
welcomed with delight.
Suddenly, and without any apparent reason, these burst forth a
roar like that of a great orchestra with every instrument played
at its loudest--rounds of applause from kettle-drums, trombones
and big horns; screams of laughter from piccolos, clarionettes and
flutes, buzzings of subdued talk by groups of bass viols and the
lesser strings, the whole broken by the ringing notes of a song
that soared for an instant clear of the din, only to be overtaken
and drowned in the mighty shout of approval. This was followed by
a stampede from the table; the banners were caught up with a
mighty shout and carried around the room; Morris, boy for the
moment, springing to his feet and joining in the uproar.
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