"It’s quite true.  To be a friend of yours lifts one a good many notches.  ’That young gemman do have a terrible powerful piece of intelleck inside of his brain-pan,’ says your builder.  ’Ay, and what’s more, he’s a rare earnest soul, always inventing things for the good of his day and generation.  He’s a credit to the nation, that he be!’  Of course I congratulated him and Pudlington on the temporary possession of so bright an ornament, and we had quite a friendly talk.  He seemed rather doubtful whether it’s legal to hold a public meeting in a building before it has been passed by the surveyor, but Noakes is above the law, or thinks he is.  We’ll go to-morrow, Bob: it’ll be a good rag."