is always a somewhat dazzling adventure in Polpier.  No. . . . decidedly he had better postpone that investment.  Just now he would step around to boatbuilder Jago’s and borrow or purchase a short length of eight-inch planking to repair the flooring of the bedroom cupboard.  Jago had a plenty of such odd lengths to be had for the asking.  “I’ll make out the top of the water-butt wants mending,” said Nicky-Nan to himself.  “Lord! what foolishness folk talk about the contrivances of poverty.  Here have I been living in fear and tremblement over a dozen things never likely to befall, and all because my brain has been starving for years, along with my stomach.  Start the pump with a dose of brandy, and it rewards ye by working sweet and suent.  Here at this moment be a dozen things possible and easy, that two hours agone were worrying me to the grave.  Now I know how rich men thrive, and I’ll use the secret.  Simplicity itself it is:  for set me on the Lord Mayor’s throne and fill me with expensive meat and drink, and I’ll be bold to command the Powers o’ Darkness.”

This was fine talking.  But he had not freed himself from the tremors of wealth:  and now again—­

              Can such things be,
      And overcome us like a summer cloud,
      Without our special wonder?

—­now and again and for about the twentieth time—­now again, as he turned to bend his steps towards Boatbuilder Jago’s yard—­suddenly and without warning, as a wave the terror took him that in his absence some thief or spy had surprised his hoard.  Under its urgency he wheeled right-about and hurried for home, to assure himself that all was safe.

Such was his haste that in passing the corner of the bridge he scarcely observed a knot of children gathered thereby, until ’Beida’s voice hailed him and brought him to a halt.

“Mr Nanjivell!”

“Hey!  Is that you, Missy?” Nicky-Nan wheeled half-about.

“If you had eyes in your head, you wouldn’ be starin’ at me,” said ’Beida, “but at ’Bert.  Look at him—­And you, ’Biades, can stand there an’ look up at him so long as you like, provided you don’t bust out cryin’ at his altered appearance:  no, nor crick your neck in doin’ it, but bear in mind that mother used up the last of the arnica when you did it last time tryin’ to count the buttons up Policeman Rat-it-all’s uniform, an’ that if the wind should shift of a sudden and catch you with your eyes bulgin’ out of your head like they’m doin’ at this moment, happen ‘twill fix you up comical for life:  an’ then instead of your growin’ up apprenticed to a butcher, as has been your constant dream, we’ll have to put you into a travellin’ show for a gogglin’ May-game, an’ that’s where your heart will be turnin’ ever, far from the Old Folks at Home. . . .  You’ll excuse me, Mr Nanjivell, but the time an’ trouble it costs to wean that child’s eyes off anything in the shape of a novelty you’d hardly believe. . . .  Well, what do you say to ’Bert?”