t
by which the new candidate for Miss Crump's favour must be thrown over.
It was accordingly agreed between the two gentlemen that they should
coalesce against the common enemy; that they should, by reciting many
perfectly well-founded stories in the Captain's disfavour, influence the
minds of Miss Crump's parents, and of herself, if possible, against this
wolf in sheep's clothing; and that, when they were once fairly rid of
him, each should be at liberty, as before, to prefer his own claim.

"I have thought of a subject," said the little tailor, turning very red,
and hemming and hawing a great deal. "I've thought, I say, of a pint,
which may be resorted to with advantage at the present juncture, and in
which each of us may be useful to the other. An exchange, Mr. Eglantine:
do you take?"

"Do you mean an accommodation-bill?" said Eglantine, whose mind ran a
good deal on that species of exchange.

"Pooh, nonsense, sir! The name of OUR firm is, I flatter myself, a
little more up in the market than some other people's names."

"Do you mean to insult the name of Archibald Eglantine, sir? I'd have
you to know that at three months--"

"Nonsense!" says Mr. Woolsey, mastering his emotion. "There's no use
a-quarrelling, Mr. E.: we're not in love with each other, I know that.
You wish me hanged, or as good, I know that!"

"Indeed I don't, sir!"

"You do, sir; I tell you, you do! and what's more, I wish the same
to you--transported, at any rate! But as two sailors, when a boat's
a-sinking, though they hate each other ever so much, will help and bale
the boat out; so, sir, let US act: let us be the two sailors."

"Bail, sir?" said Eglantine, as usual mistaking the drift of the
argument. "I'll bail no man! If you're in difficulties, I think you had
better go to your senior partner, Mr Woolsey." And Eglantine's cowardly
little soul was filled with a savage satisfaction to think that his
enemy was in distress, and actually obliged to come to HIM for succour.

"You're enough to make Job swear, you great fat stupid lazy old barber!"
roared Mr. Woolsey, in a fury.

Eglantine jumped up and made for the bell-rope. The gallant little
tailor laughed.

"There's no need to call in Betsy," said he. "I'm not a-going to eat
you, Eglantine; you're a bigger man than me: if you were just to fall on
me, you'd smother me! Just sit still on the sofa and listen to reason."

"Well, sir, pro-ceed," said the barber with a gasp.

"Now, list