wn?" asked Clink, civilly; "there is a very fine
market."

"Yes, I have seen the market," answered Jack. "I went into it to buy a
slave, but I did not see one that I liked."

"Ah!" said Clink; "and yet they had some very fine articles." Here he
pointed to the poor little woman, and said, "Now that's a useful body
enough, and I had her very cheap."

"What did you give for her?" said Jack, sitting down.

"Three pitchers," said Clink, "and fifteen cups and saucers, and two
shillings in the money of the town."

"Is their money like this?" said Jack, taking out his shilling.

When Clink saw the shilling he changed color, and said, very
earnestly, "Where did you get that, dear sir?"

"Oh, it was given me," said Jack, carelessly.

Clink looked hard at the shilling, and so did the fairy woman, and
Jack let them look some time, for he amused himself with throwing it
up several times and catching it. At last he put it back in his
pocket, and then Clink heaved a deep sigh. Then Jack took out a penny,
and began to toss that up, upon which, to his great surprise, the
little brown man fell on his knees, and said, "Oh, a shilling and a
penny,--a shilling and a penny of mortal coin! What would I not give
for a shilling and a penny!"

"I don't believe you have got anything to give," said Jack, cunningly;
"I see nothing but that ring on your finger, and the old woman."

"But I have a great many things at home, sir," said the brown man,
wiping his eyes; "and besides, that ring would be cheap at a
shilling,--even a shilling of mortal coin."

"Would the slave be cheap at a penny?" said Jack.

"Would you give a penny for her, dear sir?" inquired Clink, trembling
with eagerness.

"She is honest," answered Jack; "ask her whether I had better buy her
with this penny."

"It does not matter what she says," replied the brown man; "I would
sell twenty such as she is for a penny,--a real one."

"Ask her," repeated Jack; and the poor little woman wept bitterly, but
she said, "No."

"Why not?" asked Jack; but she only hung down her head and cried.

"I'll make you suffer for this," said the brown man. But when Jack
took out the shilling, and said, "Shall I buy you with this, slave?"
his eyes actually shot out sparks, he was so eager.

"Speak!" he said to the fairy woman; "and if you don't say 'Yes,' I'll
strike you."

"He cannot buy me with that," answered the fairy woman, "unless it is
the most valuable coin he has got."

Th