ed
little to that, but immediately pulled out a boatswain's whistle. Upon
the first whiff the tradesmen came jumping into the room, and began to
surround Lewis like so many yelping curs about a great boar; or, to use
a modester simile, like duns at a great lord's levee the morning he goes
into the country. One pulled him by his sleeve, another by the skirt, a
third hallooed in the ear. They began to ask him for all that had
been taken from their forefathers by stealth, fraud, force, or lawful
purchase. Some asked for manors, others for acres that lay convenient
for them; that he would pull down his fences, level his ditches. All
agreed in one common demand that he should be purged, sweated,
vomited, and starved, till he came to a sizeable bulk like that of his
neighbours. One modestly asked him leave to call him brother. Nic. Frog
demanded two things--to be his porter and his fishmonger, to keep
the keys of his gates and furnish the kitchen. John's sister Peg only
desired that he would let his servants sing psalms a-Sundays. Some
descended even to the asking of old clothes, shoes and boots, broken
bottles, tobacco-pipes, and ends of candles.

"Monsieur Bull," quoth Lewis, "you seem to be a man of some breeding;
for God's sake use your interest with these Messieurs, that they would
speak but one at once; for if one had a hundred pair of hands, and as
many tongues, he cannot satisfy them all at this rate." John begged they
might proceed with some method; then they stopped all of a sudden and
would not say a word. "If this be your play," quoth John, "that we may
not be like a Quaker's dumb meeting, let us begin some diversion; what
d'ye think of rouly-pouly or a country dance? What if we should have a
match at football? I am sure we shall never end matters at this rate."

CHAPTER XVI. How John Bull and Nic. Frog settled their Accounts.

JOHN BULL.--During this general cessation of talk, what if you and I,
Nic., should inquire how money matters stand between us?

NIC. FROG.--With all my heart; I love exact dealing. And let Hocus
audit; he knows how the money was disbursed.

JOHN BULL.--I am not much for that at present; we'll settle it between
ourselves. Fair and square, Nic., keeps friends together. There have
been laid out in this lawsuit, at one time, 36,000 pounds and 40,000
crowns. In some cases I, in others you, bear the greatest proportion.

NIC FROG.--Right; I pay three-fifths of the greatest number, and yo