the next day.  I returned according to promise; called at our boarding-house, and upon inquiry learned he was out in the city.  I took a stroll up to our friend’s, the coffee-house keeper, in Market street.  While I was passing through the market-house, I passed by a man with a large load upon his back.  I could not discover what the bulk was.  I passed on to the coffee-house, where three of the boys were dividing one hundred and sixty-five dollars, the proceeds of the day’s work, which, they informed me, they had obtained from one of the soft-shell brethren.  That in the course of the day they had met a countryman, and seeing he was apparently upon the look-out for speculation, they had finally entered into conversation with him, and had accidentally shown him some bright half dollars, and told him they were counterfeit.  “What,” said he, “bogus?” “Bogus, indeed,” said one.  “And do you know what, bogus is?” He said he ought to, and they then tried him, and found him one of the right kind of brethren to skin; and that they did in the following manner:  Finding that he had money and wanted “bogus,” they set upon a plan to deceive him; which they did by showing him the new half dollars, and telling him they were good coin; and that if he wished he could have them at fifteen dollars for a hundred dollars of “bogus.”  He agreed to purchase one hundred and sixty-five dollars’ worth, which they were to supply that evening.  That they were to meet him in the Fifth street market-house, and deliver his bogus in a tobacco keg headed up.  He of course took it for granted that all was honest.  They separated from him, purchased a tobacco keg, filled it with stone-coal cinders, within an inch of the top, packing them very hard to make them weigh heavy.  They then put a false head one inch from the top, upon which they put two hundred copper cents.  They then placed another head upon that, confining it tight with a hoop.  After preparing it, they rolled it into the market-house where they had met.  He had paid them the one hundred and sixty-five dollars for the cinders, which he supposed to be the most beautiful bogus, and when he lifted the keg he was satisfied all was right; and how could he doubt it, they were brethren! and they were then dividing the spoils.  I suspected, from description, it was our Lawrenceburgh friend, but remained silent, and returned to my room where I knew I could ascertain.  When I went, I discovered my friend just ascending the stairs, with a large keg upon his shoulder.  “Halloo,” said I, “what upon earth have you here?” He dropped the keg, as though he had been shot, making a crash to be heard a half mile distant, but fortunately no person about the house appeared much disturbed.  The old lady came to the door, and wanted to know what was the matter.  I told her my friend had fallen, but that no damage was done.  She retired.  As soon as he discovered it was me, he raised his burden once more, and carried it to the room.  “Come in, sir,” said