he.

"From London," was my reply.

"How do the crops look up above, for down here the turnips seem to have
failed altogether? Dry seasons won't do for turnips."

I replied that I really could not satisfy him on that point, as it was
dark when we passed.

"Very true--I had forgotten that," replied he. "However, the barleys
look well; but perhaps you don't understand farming?"

I replied in the negative, and the conversation was kept up for two or
three hours, in the course of which I mentioned the quack doctor, and
his strange departure.

"That is the fellow who cured so many people at ----," replied he; and
the conversation then turned upon his profession and mode of life, which
Timothy and I agreed must be very amusing. "We shall meet him again, I
dare say," replied the man. "Would you know him?"

"I think so, indeed," replied Timothy, laughing.

"Yes, and so you would think that you would know a guinea from a
halfpenny, if I put it into your hands," replied the man. "I do not wish
to lay a bet, and win your money; but I tell you, that I will put either
the one or the other into each of your hands, and if you hold it fast
for one minute, and shut your eyes during that time, you will not be
able to tell me which it is that you have in it."

"That I am sure I would," replied Tim; and I made the same assertion.

"Well, I was taken in that way at a fair, and lost ten shillings by the
wager; now, we'll try whether you can tell or not." He took out some
money from his pocket, which he selected without our seeing it, put a
coin into the hand of each of us, closing our fists over it, "and now,"
said he, "keep your eyes shut for a minute."

We did so, and a second or two afterwards we heard a voice which we
instantly recognised. "Nay, but it was wrong to leave me on the way side
thus, having agreed to pay the sum demanded. At my age one walketh not
without fatigue, _Excipenda tamen quaedam sunt urbium_, as Philostratus
says, meaning, 'that old limbs lose their activity, and seek the help of
a crutch.'"

"There's the doctor," cried Timothy, with his eyes still shut.

"Now open your eyes," said the man, "and tell me, before you open your
hand, what there is in it."

"A halfpenny in mine," said Tim.

"A guinea in mine," replied I.

We opened our hands, and they were _empty_.

"Where the devil is it?" exclaimed I, looking at Tim.

"And where the devil's the doctor?" replied he, looking round.

"The money is