pointing to his pocket,
'so I am afraid we can't deal.'

Whereupon, looking anxiously at the young man, 'What am I to do?' said I;
'I really want a Bible.'

'Can't you buy one?' said the young man; 'have you no money?'

'Yes,' said I, 'I have some, but I am merely the agent of another; I came
to exchange, not to buy; what am I to do?'

'I don't know,' said the young man, thoughtfully laying down the book on
the counter; 'I don't know what you can do; I think you will find some
difficulty in this bartering job, the trade are rather precise.' All at
once he laughed louder than before; suddenly stopping, however, he put on
a very grave look. 'Take my advice,' said he; 'there is a firm
established in this neighbourhood which scarcely sells any books but
Bibles; they are very rich, and pride themselves on selling their books
at the lowest possible price; apply to them, who knows but what they will
exchange with you?'

Thereupon I demanded with some eagerness of the young man the direction
to the place where he thought it possible that I might effect the
exchange--which direction the young fellow cheerfully gave me, and, as I
turned away, had the civility to wish me success.

I had no difficulty in finding the house to which the young fellow
directed me; it was a very large house, situated in a square; and upon
the side of the house was written in large letters, 'Bibles, and other
religious books.'

At the door of the house were two or three tumbrils, in the act of being
loaded with chests, very much resembling tea-chests; one of the chests
falling down, burst, and out flew, not tea, but various books, in a neat,
small size, and in neat leather covers; Bibles, said I,--Bibles,
doubtless. I was not quite right, nor quite wrong; picking up one of the
books, I looked at it for a moment, and found it to be the New Testament.
'Come, young lad,' said a man who stood by, in the dress of a porter,
'put that book down, it is none of yours; if you want a book, go in and
deal for one.'

Deal, thought I, deal,--the man seems to know what I am coming
about,--and going in, I presently found myself in a very large room.
Behind a counter two men stood with their backs to a splendid fire,
warming themselves, for the weather was cold.

Of these men one was dressed in brown, and the other was dressed in
black; both were tall men--he who was dressed in brown was thin, and had
a particularly ill-natured countenance; the man dressed