“‘But I’ll put it up in a nice box for you,’ said he.

“I told him I didn’t care for the box.  He seemed very unwilling to let it go, but I took it out of his hand and he couldn’t help himself.  Well, when they made out the bill, what do you suppose they charged?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why, eighteen and a half.”

“‘Look here,’ said I, ’I guess here’s something of a mistake.  You’ve got ten dollars too much.’

“‘I think you must be mistaken,’ said he, smiling a foxy smile.

“‘You know I am not,’ said I, rather cross.

“We can’t let that watch go for any thing shorter,’ said he, coolly.

“Just then a man that was present stepped up and said, ’the man is right; don’t attempt to impose upon him.’

“With that he calmed right down.  It seems it was a policeman who was sent to watch them, that spoke.  So I paid the money, but as I went out I heard the auctioneer say that the sale was closed for the day.  I afterwards learned that if I had allowed them to put the watch in a box, they would have exchanged it for another that was only plated.”

“Do you know anybody in the city?” asked Paul.

“I’ve got some relations, but I don’t know where they live.”

“What is the name?” asked Paul, “we can look into the directory.”

“The name is Dawkins,” answered the pedler.

“Dawkins!” repeated Paul, in surprise.

“Yes, do you happen to know anybody of the name?”

“Yes, but I believe it is a rich family.”

“Well, so are my relations,” said Jehoshaphat.  “You didn’t think Jehoshaphat Stubbs had any rich relations, did you?  These, as I’ve heard tell, hold their heads as high as anybody.”

“Perhaps I may be mistaken,” said Paul.

“What is the name—­the Christian name, I mean—­of your relation?”

“George.”

“It must be he, then.  There is a boy of about my own age of that name.  He works in the same office.”

“You don’t say so!  Well, that is curious, I declare.  To think that I should have happened to hit upon you so by accident too.”

“How are you related to them?” inquired Paul.

“Why, you see, I’m own cousin to Mr. Dawkins.  His father and my mother were brother and sister.”

“What was his father’s business?” asked Paul.

“I don’t know what his regular business was, but he was a sexton in some church.”

This tallied with the account Paul had received from Mr. Cameron, and he could no longer doubt that, strange as it seemed, the wealthy Mr. Dawkins was own cousin to the pedler.

“Didn’t you say the boy was in the same office with you, Paul?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I’ve a great mind to go and see him, and find out where his father lives.  Perhaps I may get an invite to his house.”

“How shocked Dawkins will be!” thought Paul, not, it must be confessed, without a feeling of amusement.  He felt no compunction in being the instrument of mortifying the false pride of his fellow clerk, and he accordingly signified to Mr. Stubbs that he was on his way to the counting-room.