as I should find
that trusting to him was far preferable to stipulated wages.

Chapter XI

Whatever may be the opinion of the reader, he cannot assert that we
are _no conjurers_--We suit our wares to our customers, and our
profits are considerable.

We had been three days in the camp when the gathering was broken up,
each gang taking their own way. What the meeting was about I could not
exactly discover; one occasion of it was to make arrangements relative
to the different counties in which the subdivisions were to sojourn
during the next year, so that they might know where to communicate with
each other, and, at the same time, not interfere by being too near; but
there were many other points discussed, of which, as a stranger, I was
kept in ignorance. Melchior answered all my questions with apparent
candour, but his habitual deceit was such, that whether he told the
truth or not was impossible to be ascertained by his countenance.

When the gathering dispersed we packed up, and located ourselves about
two miles from the common, on the borders of a forest of oak and ash.
Our food was chiefly game, for we had some excellent poachers among us;
and as for fish, it appeared to be at their command; there was not a
pond nor a pit but they could tell in a moment if it were tenanted, and
if tenanted, in half an hour every fish would be floating on the top of
the water, by the throwing in of some intoxicating sort of berry; other
articles of food occasionally were found in the caldron; indeed, it was
impossible to fare better than we did, or at less expense.

Our tents were generally pitched not far from a pool of water, and to
avoid any unpleasant search, which sometimes would take place,
everything liable to detection was sunk under the water until it was
required for cooking; once in the pot, it was considered as safe. But
with the foraging, Timothy and I had nothing to do; we participated in
the eating, without asking any questions as to how it was procured.

My time was chiefly spent in company with Melchior, who initiated me
into all the mysteries of cups and balls--juggling of every
description--feats with cards, and made me acquainted with all his
apparatus for prepared tricks. For hours and hours was I employed by his
directions in what is called "making the pass" with a pack of cards, as
almost all tricks on cards depend upon your dexterity in this manoeuvre.
In about a month I was consider