eman the minute you come in.'

"So I was flattered like, and thought if they made so much o' one
banknote, what'd they say to know I'd got a pocket full of them? But
didn't speak nothing, only chuckled a bit to think I could buy up half
the tent if I had a mind to. After that I stood 'em drinks, and they
stood me, and we passed a very pleasant evening--the more so because
when we got confidential, and I knew they were men of honour, I proved
that I was worthy to mix with such by showing 'em I had a packet of
banknotes handy. They drank more respec's, and one of them said as how
the liquor we were swallowing weren't fit for such a gentleman as me; so
he took a flask out o' his pocket, and filled me a glass of his own tap,
what his father 'ud bought in the same year as Waterloo. 'Twas powerful
strong stuff that, and made me blink to get it down; but I took it with
a good face, not liking to show I didn't know old liquor when it come my
way.

"So we sat till the tent was very close, and them hissing naphtha-lamps
burnt dim with tobacco-smoke. 'Twas still raining outside, for you
could hear the patter heavy on the roof; and where there was a belly in
the canvas, the water began to come through and drip inside. There was
some rough talking and wrangling among folk who had been drinking; and I
knew I'd had as much as I could carry myself, 'cause my voice sounded
like someone's else, and I had to think a good bit before I could get
out the words. 'Twas then a bell rang, and the 'size-man called out,
`Closing time,' and the gaffer behind the counter said, `Now, my lads,
good-night to 'ee; hope the fleas won't bite 'ee. God save the Queen,
and give us a merry meeting to-morrow.' So all got up, and pulled their
coats over their ears to go out, except half a dozen what was too heavy,
and was let lie for the night on the grass under the trestles.

"I couldn't walk very firm myself, but my friends took me one under each
arm; and very kind of them it was, for when we got into the open air, I
turned sleepy and giddy-like. I told 'em where I lived to, and they
said never fear, they'd see me home, and knew a cut through the fields
what'd take us to Wydcombe much shorter. We started off, and went a bit
into the dark; and then the very next thing I know'd was something
blowing in my face, and woke up and found a white heifer snuffing at me.
'Twas broad daylight, and me lying under a hedge in among the
cuckoo-pints. I was wet