les of our last scene of action.
Everyone was content--we were all glad to get back and rest from our
labours. Melchior was pleased with his profits, poor little Fleta
overjoyed to be once more in the seclusion of her tent, and Nattee very
glad to hear of our good fortune, and to see her husband. Timothy and I
had already proved ourselves so useful, that Melchior treated us with
the greatest friendship and confidence--and he made us a present out of
the gains, for our exertions; to me he gave ten, and to Timothy five,
pounds.

"There, Japhet, had you hired yourself I should not have paid you more
than seven shillings per week, finding you in food; but you must
acknowledge that for six weeks that is not bad pay. However, your
earnings will depend upon our success, and I rather think that we shall
make a much better thing of it when next we start, which will be in
about a fortnight; but we have some arrangements to make. Has Timothy a
good memory?"

"I think he has."

"That is well. I told you before that we are to try the `Wise Man,'--
but first we must have Nattee in play. To-morrow we will start for --,"
mentioning a small quiet town about four miles off.

We did so, early the next morning, and arrived about noon, pitching our
tents on the common, not far from the town; but in this instance we left
all the rest of our gang behind. Melchior's own party and his two tents
were all that were brought by the donkeys.

Melchior and I, dressed as countrymen, went into the town at dusk, and
entered a respectable sort of inn, taking our seats at one of the tables
in the tap-room, and, as we had already planned, after we had called for
beer, commenced a conversation in the hearing of the others who were
sitting drinking and smoking.

"Well, I never will believe it--it's all cheat and trickery," said
Melchior, "and they only do it to pick your pocket. Tell your fortune,
indeed! I suppose she promised you a rich wife and half-a-dozen
children."

"No, she did not," replied I, "for I am too young to marry; but she told
me what I know has happened."

"Well, what was that?"

"Why, she told me that my mother had married again, and turned me out of
doors to work for my bread."

"But she might have heard that."

"How could she? No, that's not possible; but she told me I had a mole
on my knee, which was a sign of luck. Now how could she know that?"

"Well, I grant that was odd--and pray what else did she promise