tlier
cargo, and confident that by its size and his sense of touch he could
separate it from the gold, found that he must first remove his
pocket-handkerchief. As he drew it forth, alas! two golden
sovereigns followed in its fold, fell, and jingled on the slate-paved
floor. Not all the fresh sawdust strewn there could deaden the merry
sound of wealth. The two coins ran trickling, the one to clash
against a brass spittoon, the other to take hiding in a dark corner
under the counter. "You might," said Mr Latter that evening,
relating the occurrence to a circle of steady customers, "have
knocked me down with a feather. To see old Nicky, of all men,
standin' there before my very eyes an' sheddin' gold like a
cornopean!"

What Mr Latter did at the moment, or as soon as he recovered his
presence of mind, was to set down his bottle and dive under the
counter; while Nicky-Nan chased the coin which had ricochetted off
the spittoon and lodged against the wainscot. Their physical
infirmities made the pursuit painful for both, as the darkness in a
small room overcrowded with furniture made it difficult. Mr Latter
emerged panting, in audible bodily distress. His search had been
longer than Nicky-Nan's, but it was successful. He straightened
himself up and held out the coin to the light.

"A sovereign! . . . I'll have to go out an' fetch change.
A sovereign, send I may never!" He rang it on the bar-counter.
"I'll step along an' get change from the Bank."

"There's no hurry," stammered Nicky-Nan hastily and in confusion.
"Let's have the drink, an' maybe I can fish out something smaller.
. . . You keep your parlour very dark," he added, repocketing both
coins.

"I reckon now," observed Mr Latter thoughtfully as he measured out
the two tots of brandy, "that 'taty-patch o' your'n has been a
perfect gold-mine this season. Everyone tells me how agriculture is
lookin' up."

Nicky-Nan sought refuge in a falsehood.

"'Tis my rent," said he, "that I've been savin' up for Pamphlett.
Didn' you see him stop an' speak wi' me five minutes since?
Well, that was to make an appointment an' give me the receipt.
Between you an' me, I've been gettin' a bit to leeward with it
lately."

"Ay," said Mr Latter, opening the soda-water and pouring it.
"Everybody in the parish knows _that_. . . . Well, things are
lookin' up, seemingly, and I congratulate 'ee. Here's Success to
Agriculture! . . . Brandy for heroes! 'Tis a curious thing