"There, Japhet, had you hired yourself I should not have paid you more than seven shillings per week, finding you in food; but you must acknowledge that for six weeks that is not bad pay. However, your earnings will depend upon our success, and I rather think that we shall make a much better thing of it when next we start, which will be in about a fortnight; but we have some arrangements to make. Has Timothy a good memory?" "I think he has." "That is well. I told you before that we are to try the `Wise Man,'-- but first we must have Nattee in play. To-morrow we will start for --," mentioning a small quiet town about four miles off. We did so, early the next morning, and arrived about noon, pitching our tents on the common, not far from the town; but in this instance we left all the rest of our gang behind. Melchior's own party and his two tents were all that were brought by the donkeys. Melchior and I, dressed as countrymen, went into the town at dusk, and entered a respectable sort of inn, taking our seats at one of the tables in the tap-room, and, as we had already planned, after we had called for beer, commenced a conversation in the hearing of the others who were sitting drinking and smoking. "Well, I never will believe it--it's all cheat and trickery," said Melchior, "and they only do it to pick your pocket. Tell your fortune, indeed! I suppose she promised you a rich wife and half-a-dozen children." "No, she did not," replied I, "for I am too young to marry; but she told me what I know has happened." "Well, what was that?" "Why, she told me that my mother had married again, and turned me out of doors to work for my bread." "But she might have heard that." "How could she? No, that's not possible; but she told me I had a mole on my knee, which was a sign of luck. Now how could she know that?" "Well, I grant that was odd--and pray what else did she promise you?" "Why, she said that I should meet with my dearest friend to-night. Now that does puzzle me, for I have but one in the world, and he is a long way off." "Well, if you do meet your friend, then I'll believe her; but if not, it has been all guess work; and pray what did you pay for all this--was it a shilling, or did she pick your pocket?" "That's what puzzles me,--she refused to take anything. I offered it again and again, and she said, `No; that she would have no money--that her gift was not to be sold.'" "Well, that is odd. Do you hear what this young man says?" said Melchior, addressing the others, who had swallowed every word. "Yes," replied one; "but who is this person?"