mile, two miles, three miles were speedily left
behind; and now I came to a grove of birch and other trees, and opening a
gate I passed up a kind of avenue, and soon arriving before a large brick
house, of rather antique appearance, knocked at the door.

In this house there lived a gentleman with whom I had business. He was
said to be a genuine old English gentleman, and a man of considerable
property; at this time, however, he wanted a thousand pounds, as
gentlemen of considerable property every now and then do. I had brought
him a thousand pounds in my pocket, for it is astonishing how many eager
helpers the rich find, and with what compassion people look upon their
distresses. He was said to have good wine in his cellar.

'Is your master at home?' said I, to a servant who appeared at the door.

'His worship is at home, young man,' said the servant, as he looked at my
shoes, which bore evidence that I had come walking. 'I beg your pardon,
sir,' he added, as he looked me in the face.

'Ay, ay, servants,' thought I, as I followed the man into the house,
'always look people in the face when you open the door, and do so before
you look at their shoes, or you may mistake the heir of a Prime Minister
for a shopkeeper's son.'

I found his worship a jolly, red-faced gentleman, of about fifty-five; he
was dressed in a green coat, white corduroy breeches, and drab gaiters,
and sat on an old-fashioned leather sofa, with two small, thoroughbred,
black English terriers, one on each side of him. He had all the
appearance of a genuine old English gentleman who kept good wine in his
cellar.

'Sir,' said I, 'I have brought you a thousand pounds'; and I said this
after the servant had retired, and the two terriers had ceased the
barking which is natural to all such dogs at the sight of a stranger.

And when the magistrate had received the money, and signed and returned a
certain paper which I handed to him, he rubbed his hands, and looking
very benignantly at me, exclaimed--

'And now, young gentleman, that our business is over, perhaps you can
tell me where the fight is to take place?'

'I am sorry, sir,' said I, 'that I can't inform you, but everybody seems
to be anxious about it'; and then I told him what had occurred to me on
the road with the alehouse-keeper.

'I know him,' said his worship; 'he's a tenant of mine, and a good
fellow, somewhat too much in my debt though. But how is this, young
gentleman, you look a