rceived that his Lordship leant forward once more towards Mr.
Keepimstraight, and Mr. Keepimstraight turned as aforetime towards the
Lord Mayor, but not quite, I thought, so fully round as heretofore; the
motion seemed to be performed with less exactness than usual, and that
probably was why the operation miscarried. Mr. Keepimstraight having
given the correct signal, as he thought, and the Enginedriver on the
Bench having misunderstood it, an accident naturally would have taken
place but for the extreme caution and care of his Lordship, who, if he
had been a young Enginedriver, would in all probability have dashed on
neck or nothing through every obstacle. Not so his Lordship. Not being
sure whether he was on the up or down line, he pulled up.

Mr. Keepimstraight sat pen in hand looking at his paper, and waiting for
the judicial voice which should convey to his ear the announcement that
"I ses, ses I," is evidence or no evidence. Judge then of Mr.
Keepimstraight's disappointment when, after waiting in breathless silence
for some five minutes, he at last looks up and sees his Lordship in deep
anxiety to catch his eye without the public observing it. His Lordship
leant forward, blushing with innocence, and whispered something behind
his hand to Mr. Keepimstraight. And in my dream I heard his Lordship
ask:

"_Which eye_?"

To which Mr. Keepimstraight as coolly as if nothing had happened,
whispered behind his hand:

"_Left_!" and then coughed.

"O then," exclaimed his Lordship, "it is clearly not evidence."

"It's not evidence," repeated the clerk; and then to the discomfiture of
Mr. Nimble, he went on, "You say you had a companion."

This was more than the learned Counsel wanted, seeing as he did that
there was another investment to be made if he could only manage it.

Mr. Bumpkin blushed now, but said nothing.

"Would you excuse me," said Mr. Nimble; "I shall not cross-examine this
witness."

"O, very good," says Keepimstraight, thinking probably it was to be a
plea of guilty hereafter; "very good. Then I think that is all--is that
the watch?"

"It be," said the witness; "I ken swear to un."

It certainly would be from no want of metal if Mr. Bumpkin could not
identify the timepiece, for it was a ponderous-looking watch, nearly as
large as a tea-saucer.

Then said Mr. Nimble:

"You say that is your watch, do you?"

"It spakes for itself."

"I don't think that's evidence," says Mr. Keepimstraig