“I hope so, Timothy; as for the one who is with me at present, I can easily procure him other employment, and he will not be sorry to go, for he is a married man, and does not like the confinement.”

“I have some money,” said Timothy, taking out of his old clothes a dirty rag, and producing nearly twenty pounds.  “I am well off, you see.”

“You are, indeed,” replied I.

“Yes, there is nothing like being a sailor with one leg, singing ballads.  Do you know, Japhet, that sometimes I have taken more than a pound a day since I have shammed the sailor?”

“Not very honestly, Tim.”

“Perhaps not, Japhet; but it is very strange, and yet very true, that when honest I could make nothing, and when I deceived, I have done very well.”

Chapter LXVII

     Timothy commences his narrative of his search after Japhet.

I could not help calling to mind that the same consequences as Timothy related in the last chapter had occurred to me during my eventful career; but I had long considered that there was no excuse for dishonesty, and that, in the end, it would only lead to exposure and disgrace.  I went home early in the evening to introduce Timothy to Mr Cophagus, who received him with great kindness, and agreed immediately that he ought to be with me in the shop.  Timothy paid his respects to the ladies, and then went down with Ephraim, who took him under his protection.  In a few days, he was as established with us as if he had been living with us for months.  I had some trouble, at first, in checking his vivacity and turn for ridicule; but that was gradually effected, and I found him not only a great acquisition, but, as he always was, a cheerful and affectionate companion.  I had, during the first days of our meeting, recounted my adventures, and made many inquiries of Timothy relative to my few friends.  He told me that from Mr Masterton he had learnt that Lady de Clare and Fleta had called upon him very much afflicted with the contents of my letter—­that Lord Windermear also had been very much vexed and annoyed—­that Mr Masterton had advised him to obtain another situation as a valet, which he had refused, and, at the same time, told him his intention of searching for me.  He had promised Mr Masterton to let him know if he found me, and then bade him farewell.

“I used to lie in bed, Japhet,” continued Timothy, “and think upon the best method of proceeding.  At last, I agreed to myself, that to look for you as you looked after your father, would be a wild-goose chase, and that my money would soon be gone; so I reflected whether I might not take up some roving trade which would support me, and, at the same time, enable me to proceed from place to place.  What do you think was my first speculation?  Why, I saw a man with a dog harnessed in a little cart, crying dog’s meat and cat’s meat, and I said to myself, ’Now there’s the very