“Aye,” replied his Cousin, “he not only knows you, but he knows that some of your cash will soon be in his pockets, and has therefore made a dead set at you.” “Next lot, Gentlemen, is a work to which my last observation bore some allusion; should your friends, as I then observed, fortunately escape the snares and dangers laid by sharpers and swindlers to entrap the unwary, you may, perchance, see them safe after their day's ramble; but should--aye, Gentlemen, there's the rub--should they be caught by the numerous traps and snares laid for the Johnny Raw and Greenhorn in this great and wicked metropolis, God knows what may become of them. Now, Gentlemen, we have a remedy for every disease--here is the London Spy or Stranger's Guide through the Metropolis; here all the arts, frauds, delusions, &c. are exposed, and--Tom, give that Gentleman change for his half crown, and deliver Lot 3.--As I was before observing, Gentlemen--Turn out that young rascal who is making such a noise, cracking nuts, that I can't hear the bidding.--Gentlemen, as I before observed, if you will do me the favour of bidding me--” “Good night, Sir,” cried a younker, who had just exploded a detonating cracker, and was making his escape through the crowd. “The next lot, gentlemen, is the Young Man's best Companion, and as your humble Servant is the author, he begs to decline any panegyric--modesty forbids it--but leaves it entirely with you to appreciate its merits--two shillings--two and six--three shillings--three and six--four, going for four--for you, Sir, at four.” “Me, Sir! Lord bless you, I never opened my mouth!” “Perfectly aware of that, Sir, it was quite unnecessary--I could read your intention in your eye--and observed the muscle of the mouth, call'd by anatomists the ~277~~ _zygomaticus major_, in the act of moving. I should have been dull not to have noticed it--and rude not to have saved you the trouble of speaking: Tom, deliver the Gentleman the lot, and take four shillings.” “Well, Sir, I certainly feel flattered with your acute and polite attention, and can do no less than profit by it--so hand up the lot--cheap enough, God knows.” “And pray,” said Dashall to his Cousin as they quitted, “what do you intend doing with all your purchases? why it will require a waggon to remove them.” “O, I shall send the whole down to Belville Hall: our friends there will be furnished with a rare stock of entertainment during the long winter evenings, and no present I could offer would be half so acceptable.”