ea from a
halfpenny, if I put it into your hands," replied the man. "I do not
wish to lay a bet, and win your money; but I tell you, that I will put
either the one or the other into each of your hands, and if you hold it
fast for one minute, and shut your eyes during that time, you will not
be able to tell me which it is that you have in it."

"That I am sure I would," replied Tim; and I made the same assertion.

"Well, I was taken in that way at a fair, and lost ten shillings by the
wager; now, we'll try whether you can tell or not." He took out some
money from his pocket, which he selected without our seeing it, put a
coin into the hand of each of us, closing our fists over it, "and now,"
said he, "keep your eyes shut for a minute."

We did so, and a second or two afterwards we heard a voice which we
instantly recognised. "Nay, but it was wrong to leave me on the
way-side thus, having agreed to pay the sum demanded. At my age one
walketh not without fatigue, `_Excipenda tamen quaedam sunt urbium_,' as
Philostratus says, meaning, `That old limbs lose their activity, and
seek the help of a crutch.'"

"There's the doctor," cried Timothy, with his eyes still shut.

"Now open your eyes," said the man, "and tell me, before you open your
hand, what there is in it."

"A halfpenny in mine," said Tim.

"A guinea in mine," replied I.

We opened our hands, and they were _empty_.

"Where the devil is it?" exclaimed I, looking at Tim.

"And where the devil's the doctor?" replied he, looking round.

"The money is in the doctor's pocket," replied the man, smiling.

"Then where is the doctor's pocket?"

"Here," replied he, slapping his pocket, and looking significantly at
us. "I thought you were certain of knowing him again. About as certain
as you were of telling the money in your hand."

He then, to our astonishment, imitated the doctor's voice, and quoted
_prosody, syntax, and Latin_. Timothy and I were still in astonishment,
when he continued, "If I had not found out that you were in want of
employ, and further, that your services would be useful to me, I should
not have made this discovery. Do you now think that you know enough to
enter into my service? It is light work, and not bad pay; and now you
may choose."

"I trust," said I, "that there is no dishonesty?"

"None that you need practise, if you are so scrupulous: perhaps your
scruples may some day be removed. I make the most of my wares--every
m