"Wag, Wag, Wag!" repeated the stranger, briskly. "Funny name! eh?"--"It was my father's before me," observed Jeremiah, scarcely knowing what to think of the matter. "Very good name!" continued the little gentleman, "Like it very much. Got any children? Any little Wags, eh? Like to see 'em. Fond of children--little Wags in particular--he, he, he!" "Much obliged to ye for inquiring, sir," replied the senior Wag; "I've got just half-a-score, sorted sizes. That's the eldest!" and he pointed to young Jerry, whose lanky limbs were at the moment displayed, spread-eagle fashion, against the shelves, from the topmost of which he was reaching down some commodity for a customer. "That's right. Bring 'em up to industry," said the little gentleman. "Well, I can't stay now, because my dinner's ready; but I see you sell Irish linen, and I want a piece for shirts; so, perhaps, you'll be so good as to look me out a good one and bring it over to me." "You may rely," commenced Mr Wag; but his new customer cut him short by adding, "I know that well enough," as he briskly made his exit. The industrious shopkeeper forthwith selected certain of his primest articles, folded them in a wrapper, and, at the appointed time, carried the whole across to the King's Arms. He was immediately ushered into the presence of the eccentric elderly gentleman, who was seated alone behind a bottle of white and a bottle of red. "Suppose you've dined, Master Wag?" said he. "So, come! No ceremony, sit down and take a glass of wine." "I'm very much obliged to you, I'm sure, sir," replied Jeremiah; "but I have just brought over half-a-dozen pieces of Irish for you to look at and choose." "Phoo, phoo!" quoth the small stranger, "I don't want to see them. I know nothing about 'em. Leave all to you. Only meant to have had a piece; but, as you have brought half-a-dozen, I may as well take 'em. 'Store's no sore,' they say. There's a fifty-pound note! Reckon 'em up, and see if there's any change." Jeremiah stared at this unusual wholesale mode of dealing, stammered his thanks, and observed, that the goods would not amount to half the money. "So much the worse," said the little gentleman. "Must see if I can't buy something else in your line presently; but, sit down now: that's a good fellow! I want to have some talk with you." The bashful shopkeeper hereupon perched himself on the extreme front edge of a chair, at a respectful distance from the table; but was told to draw up closer by his hospitable entertainer. Then they took three or four glasses of wine together, and gradually Jeremiah found himself more at home, and scrupled not to reply to the odd stranger's questions respecting his family and occupations. And so they went on chatting till they appeared as two very old and intimate friends; for Mr Wag was of an open, unsuspecting disposition, and talked as though he had no objection that all the world should know all about his affairs.