put him in
'Squire Dickens' stable, 'long with his animals, and seeing that he
hadn't had much the day before, I emptied the corn from their troughs
into his, and jest see what's come of it. I hadn't ought to done so, to
be sure."

"That's bad, but that must not stop you. Your life, Bunce, is in danger,
and I have too much regard for you to let you risk it by longer stay
here. Take my nag, there--the second one from the tree, and put him in
the gears in place of your own. He's as gentle as a spaniel, and goes
like a deer. You know the back track to my house, and I'll come after
you, and bring your creature along. I 'spose he's not so stiff but he
can bring me."

"He can do that, lawyer, I guess, without difficulty. I'll move as you
say, and be off pretty slick. Five hundred dollars damage, lawyer--eh!"

"No matter, till I see you. Put your nag in gears quickly--you have
little time to spare!"

The pedler proceeded to the work, and was in a little while ready for a
start. But he lingered at the porch.

"I say, lawyer, it's a hard bout they've given me this time. I did fear
they would be rash and obstropulous, but didn't think they'd gone so
far. Indeed, it's clear, if it hadn't been that the cretur failed me, I
should not have trusted myself in the place, after what I was told."

"Bunce, you have been rather sly in your dealings, and they have a good
deal to complain of. Now, though I said nothing about it, that coat you
sold me for a black grew red with a week's wear, and threadbare in a
month."

"Now, don't talk, lawyer, seeing you ha'n't paid me for it yet; but
that's neither here nor there. If I did, as you say, sell my goods for
something more than their vally, I hadn't ought to had such a punishment
as this."

The wild song of the rioters rang in his ears, followed by a
proposition, seemingly made with the utmost gravity, to change the plan
of operations, and instead of giving him the ride upon the rail, cap the
blazing goods of his cart with the proper person of the proprietor. The
pedler lingered to hear no further; and the quick ear of the lawyer, as
he returned into the hall, distinguished the rumbling motion of his cart
hurrying down the road. But he had scarcely reseated himself and resumed
his glass, before Bunce also reappeared.

"Why, man, I thought you were off. You burn daylight; though they do
say, those whom water won't drown, rope must hang."

"There is some risk, lawyer, to be sure; but