ne horse, and as extravagant as the devil!"

"O Lord!--O Lord! what a world this is! What does he call his-self?"

"Why, here's the cheque--George Frederick de--de Burgh Smith."

"Put it in your pipe, my man,--put it in your pipe--not worth a d---!"

"And who the deuce are you, sir?" bawled out Mr. Stubmore, in an equal
rage both with himself and his guest.

"I, sir," said the visitor, rising with great dignity,--"I, sir, am of
the great Bow Street Office, and my name is John Sharp!"

Mr. Stubmore nearly fell off his stool, his eyes rolled in his head, and
his teeth chattered. Mr. Sharp perceived the advantage he had gained,
and continued,--

"Yes, sir; and I could have much to say against that chap, who is
nothing more or less than Dashing Jerry, as has ruined more girls and
more tradesmen than any lord in the land. And so I called to give you
a bit of caution; for, says I to myself, 'Mr. Stubmore is a respectable
man.'"

"I hope I am, sir," said the crestfallen horse-dealer; "that was always
my character."

"And the father of a family?"

"Three boys and a babe at the buzzom," said Mr. Stubmore pathetically.

"And he sha'n't be taken in if I can help it! That 'ere young man as I
am arter, you see, knows Captain Smith--ha! ha!--smell a rat now--eh?"

"Captain Smith said he knew him--the wiper--and that's what made me so
green."

"Well, we must not be hard on the youngster: 'cause why? he has friends
as is gemmen. But you tell him to go back to his poor dear relations,
and all shall be forgiven; and say as how you won't keep him; and if he
don't go back, he'll have to get his livelihood without a carakter; and
use your influence with him like a man and a Christian, and what's more,
like the father of a family--Mr. Stub more--with three boys and a babe
at the buzzom. You won't keep him now?"

"Keep him! I have had a precious escape. I'd better go and see after the
mare."

"I doubt if you'll find her: the Captain caught a sight of me this
morning. Why, he lodges at our hotel. He's off by this time!"

"And why the devil did you let him go?"

"'Cause I had no writ agin him!" said the Bow Street officer; and he
walked straight out of the counting-office, satisfied that he had "done
the job."

To snatch his hat--to run to the hotel--to find that Captain Smith had
indeed gone off in his phaeton, bag and baggage, the same as he came,
except that he had now two horses to the phaeton instead of one--having
l