lad to get a shilling for it; but I saw you wanted it, and asked
five guineas.' Then they looked at one another, and smiled, and shrugged
up their shoulders. Then the first man, looking at me, said, 'Friend,
you have been a little too sharp for us; however, we can afford to
forgive you, as my friend here has long been in quest of this particular
book; there are plenty of editions, as I told you, and a common copy is
not worth five shillings; but this is a first edition, and a copy of the
first edition is worth its weight in gold.'"

"So, after all, they outwitted you," I observed.

"Clearly," said the man; "I might have got double the price, had I known
the value; but I don't care, much good may it do them, it has done me
plenty. By means of it I have got into an honest, respectable trade, in
which there's little danger and plenty of profit, and got out of one
which would have got me lagged, sooner or later."

"But," said I, "you ought to remember that the thing was not yours; you
took it from me, who had been requested by a poor old apple-woman to
exchange it for a Bible."

"Well," said the man, "did she ever get her Bible?"

"Yes," said I, "she got her Bible."

"Then she has no cause to complain; and, as for you, chance or something
else has sent you to me, that I may make you reasonable amends for any
loss you may have had. Here am I ready to make you my bonnet, with forty
or fifty shillings a week, which you say yourself are capital wages."

"I find no fault with the wages," said I, "but I don't like the employ."

"Not like bonneting," said the man; "ah, I see, you would like to be
principal; well, a time may come--those long white fingers of yours would
just serve for the business."

"Is it a difficult one?" I demanded.

"Why, it is not very easy: two things are needful--natural talent, and
constant practice; but I'll show you a point or two connected with the
game;" and, placing his table between his knees as he sat over the side
of the pit, he produced three thimbles, and a small brown pellet,
something resembling a pea. He moved the thimbles and pellet about, now
placing it to all appearance under one, and now under another. "Under
which is it now?" he said at last. "Under that," said I, pointing to the
lowermost of the thimbles, which, as they stood, formed a kind of
triangle. "No," said he, "it is not, but lift it up;" and, when I lifted
up the thimble, the pellet, in truth, was not under it.