h the three hairs on his nose.

It was not difficult to find him, and at the first place he asked at,
three voices answered at once:

"That must be Andras Prepelicza. His mustache made a mistake, and grew
on the top of his nose instead of on his lip."

After that it was mere child's play, for every workman knew that
Prepelicza was "building Pest," as they expressed it. He was working at
a large house in the Kerepesi Street.

Gaspar immediately had the horses harnessed, and drove to Pest, not
stopping till he reached the capital; and there he set to work to find
Prepelicza among the Slovak workmen. The mason was just going up on a
pulley to the third story when he found him, and Gaspar shuddered as he
thought: "Supposing the cords were to give way now!"

"Hallo, Prepelicza!" he shouted. "Wait a bit, I was just looking for
you. I want to have a talk with you."

"All right," called out the mason, examining the newcomer from above.
"Come up if you want to talk."

"You come down to me, it is very important."

"Well, shout it out, I can hear it all right up here."

"I can't do that, I must speak to you in private at any cost."

"Good or bad?"

"Very good."

"Good for me?"

"Yes, good for you."

"Well, if it is good for me it can wait till the evening. I shall be
down by then, but I want to finish this top window first."

"Don't argue, but come down at once. You won't be sorry for it."

"Why, I don't even know who you are."

"I'll send you word in a minute."

And with the next pulley he sent Prepelicza up a nice new crisp
ten-florin note. The man who took it up got a florin for doing so.

At the sight of this novel visiting-card Prepelicza threw down his
hammer and trowel, and with the next pulley returned to his mother
earth, where miracles have been going on ever since the time of Moses.

"What can I do for you, sir?"

"Follow me."

"To the end of the world, sir."

"We need not go as far as that," said Gregorics, smiling. And they only
went as far as "The Cock," a small public-house, where they ordered some
wine, after drinking which, the wily Gaspar began, smiling blandly:

"Can you speak, Prepelicza?"

The mason began to wonder what was going to happen, and looked long and
attentively into the steely gray eyes of his new acquaintance, and then
said guardedly:

"A jay can speak, sir."

"I am from Besztercebanya."

"Really? There are very decent people there. I seem to know your face
too