arned the use of that legal term from frequent
intercourse with Mr. Prigg. He thought they should be on but "wur not
sartin."

"Well," said Joe, "the sooner the better. I hates this ere hangin'
about." At this Jack Outofwork, Tom Lazyman, and Bill Saunter laughed;
while Dick Devilmecare said, "He hated hanging about too; it was wus than
work."

"And that's bad enough, Heaven knows," said Lazyman.

Then I saw that at this moment entered a fine tall handsome soldier, who
I afterwards learned was Sergeant Goodtale of the One Hundred and
twenty-fourth Hussars. A smarter or more compact looking fellow it would
be impossible to find: and he came in with such a genial, good-natured
smile, that to look at him would almost make you believe there was no
happiness or glory on this side the grave except in Her Majesty's
service--especially the Hussars!

I also perceived that fluttering from the side of Sergeant Goodtale's
cap, placed carelessly and jauntily on the side of his head, was a bunch
of streamers of the most fascinating red white and blue you ever could
behold. Altogether, Sergeant Goodtale was a splendid sight. Down went
his cane on the table with a crack, as much as to say "The Queen!" and he
marched up to the fire and rubbed his hands: apparently taking no heed of
any human being in the room.

Mr. Bumpkin's heart leaped when he saw the military sight: his eyes
opened as if he were waking from a dream out of which he had been
disturbed by a cry of "fire:" and giving Joe a wink and an obviously
made-up look, beckoned him out of the room. As they went out they met a
young man, shabbily clad and apparently poorly fed. He had an
intelligent face, though somewhat emaciated. He might be, and probably
was, a clerk out of employment, and he threw himself on the seat in a
listless manner that plainly said he was tired of everything.

This was Harry Highlow. He had been brought up with ideas beyond his
means. It was through no fault of his that he had not been taught a
decent trade: those responsible for his training having been possessed of
the notion that manual labour lowers one's respectability: an error and a
wickedness which has been responsible for the ruin of many a promising
youth before to-day.

Harry was an intelligent, fairly educated youth, and nothing more. What
is to be done with raw material so plentiful as that? The cheapest
marketable commodity is an average education, especially in a countr