hip's
making 299?"

"No," replied Mr. Chauncy; "and that is the very reason I like my
ticket. If I had yours, I should be afraid I might get the prize."

"Afraid?" repeated Hilbert.

"Yes," said Mr. Chauncy.

"Why should you be afraid?" asked Hilbert, much surprised.

"Because," said Mr. Chauncy, "I should not know what to do with the
money. I would not put it in my purse; for I don't let any thing go in
there but honest money. I don't know who I could give it to. Besides, I
should not like to ask any body to take what I should be ashamed to keep
myself. I should really be in a very awkward situation."

As he said this, Mr. Chauncy held his ticket between his thumb and
finger, and looked at the number. Neither he nor Hilbert suspected for a
moment that there was any mistake in reading it; for, not having paid
any attention to the _scheme_, as it is called, of the lottery, they did
not know how high the numbers went.

"There is a possibility that I may get it, after all," said Mr. Chauncy
at length, musing. "We have had fine weather, and have been coming on
fast. The best thing for me to do is to get rid of the ticket. Have
_you_ got a ticket, Rollo?" said he, turning to Rollo.

"No, sir," said Rollo.

"I have a great mind to give it to you, then."

"No, sir," said Rollo; "I would rather not have it."

"That is right," said Mr. Chauncy. "I like you the better for that. I
know what I will do with it. Do you remember an Irishwoman that you see
sitting on the forward deck sometimes with her two children?"

"Yes," said Rollo; "she is there now."

"Very well," said Mr. Chauncy; "carry this to her, and tell her it is a
ticket in a lottery, and it may possibly draw a prize. Have you any
conscientious scruples about doing that?"

"No, sir," said Rollo.

"Then take the ticket and go," added Mr. Chauncy. "Tell her she had
better sell the ticket for two shillings, if she gets a chance. There
may be somebody among the gamblers that will buy it."

So Rollo took the ticket and carried it to the Irishwoman. She was a
woman who was returning to Ireland as a deck passenger. She was quite
poor. When Rollo tendered her the ticket, she was, at first, much
surprised. Rollo explained the case fully to her, and concluded by
repeating Mr. Chauncy's advice--that she should sell the ticket, if she
could get a chance to sell it for as much as two shillings. The woman,
having been at sea before, understood something about such l