“Oh, Serlizer,” said Ben, “we don’t go traavellin’ much; we ain’t like the rollin’ stones as don’t gaythyer no mawss.”

“When the cunnel and me was ridin’ ter Tronter, laast Sat’day,” continued Mr. Maguffin, “the cunnel he began egspashuatin’ on the things he see.  ‘That there mawss’ says he, ’at Hogg’s Holler, minds me ob two coloured men was habin’ a counterbessy on they bawsses.  Says one of the gennelmen, “My bawss,” (the cunnel says massa, but that’s a name I doan’ take to) “my bawss says he ain’t like yoh bawss, trabellin’ around all the time and gatherin’ no mawss.”  “No,” said the other coloured gennelman, “but my bawss gathers what yoh bawss want mighty bad, and that’s a heap ob polish."’”

“For polish,” remarked Constable Rigby, turning to Tryphena, “for polish, Miss Hill, commend me to an English army officer.”

“My bawss,” said Maguffin, “is an officer and a gennelman, and yoh cayn’t beat him foh polish nohow.”

“There are no officers and no soldiers in America,” replied the pensioner.

“Oh, Mr. Rigby,” interrupted Tryphosa, “I remember reading in my history that the American soldiers beat the British army many times in the Revolutionary War.”

“Flim-flam.  Miss Tryphosa Hill, garbled reports!  The British army never has been beaten, never can be beaten.  I belonged to the British army, Miss Hill, I beg pardon, Miss Tryphosa, and know what I assert from experience.”

“Le’ss stop this jaw and have a game o’ keerds,” suggested Serlizer.

Ben seconded his lady love’s proposal, and thought a game of euchre would pass away the time.  The constable said euchre was no game.  There was only one game at cards, and that was whist.  The man or woman who could not play whist was uneducated.  Sarah Eliza professed a preference for High, Low, Jack, and the Game; any saphead could play that.  She wasn’t a saphead herself, but there might be some about.  Maguffin regretted that in the Baktis pussuasion cards were not allowed; and the Hill girls had distinctly promised their mother to play no games of chance.  As, however, none of the parties owned a pack of cards, nor knew where to find one, further controversy on the subject was useless.  Tryphosa, looking intelligent, left the room, and speedily returned with a little cardboard box in her hand, labelled Countries, Cities, Mountains, and Rivers, with which Timotheus had once presented her.  She said it was an improving game, and that all could play it.  The shuffling and dealing, of course, presented an almost unavoidable chance element, but, apart from that, the game was a matter of science, of geographical knowledge.  Now the Hill girls were educated, as Mr. Rigby said; and he, having travelled far as a soldier, was not deficient in geographical lore; but what about the other three?

“Oh!” ejaculated Miss Newcome, “at them there keerds, I guess we jist are sapheads.  Ain’t that so, Ben?”

Ben said “I guaiss”; and Mr. Maguffin added:  “joggrify, entermoligy, swinetax, and paucity was teached me, but I done clar forgit how they run, it’s so long sence.”