Here was a position.  It was a miracle that I did not roll over the carpet-bag and break my neck, in the confusion of ideas engendered by this simple query.

I could not lie, and evasion was not my forte.  A man or boy in the wrong can never express himself with propriety; an opinion in which Quinctilian also appears to coincide, when he asserts—­

“Orator perfectus nisi vir bonus esse non potest.”

I therefore summoned up sufficient breath and courage to answer him in the affirmative.

“And when, pray, were you there?” said he.

“Yesterday, sir, your nephew asked me to come and see him.”

“The impudent little blackguard?” cried he.

“I hope you ain’t angry, sir?”

“Angry with you?—­no, my lad; you’re an active little chap, and I wish that imp of mine would take a pattern by you.  Trot along, and mind you have ‘a lift’ both ways.”

Off I went, as light as a balloon when the ropes are cut.

I executed my commission with dispatch, and completely won the favour of Mr. Wallis, by returning the money which he had given me for coach-hire.

“How’s this?—­you didn’t tramp, did you?” said he.

“No, sir, I rode both ways,” I replied; “but I knew the coachmen, and they gave me a cast for nothing.”

“Umph!—­well, that’s quite proper—­quite proper,” said he, considering a moment.  “Honesty’s the best policy.”

“Father always told me so, sir.”

“Your father’s right;—­there’s half-a-crown for you.”

I was delighted—­

“Quantum cedat virtutibus aurum;”

and I felt the truth of this line of Dr. Johnson’s, although I was then ignorant of it.  I met his nephew on the landing, but my fears had vanished.  We talked, however, of the departed bird, and he wished me, in the event of discovery, to declare that I had loaded and carried the gun, and that he would bear the rest of the blame.

This, however, strongly reminded me of the two Irish smugglers:—­one had a wooden leg, and carried the cask; while his comrade, who had the use of both his pins, bore him upon his shoulders, and, complaining of the weight, the other replied:—­“Och! thin, Paddy, what’s the bothuration; if you carry me, don’t I carry the whiskey, sure, and that’s fair and aqual!” and I at once declined any such Hibernian partnership in the affair, quite resolved that he should bear the whole onus upon his own shoulders.

CHAPTER, VII.—­The Cricket Match

“Out! so don’t fatigue yourself, I beg, sir.”

I soon discovered that my conduct had been reported in the most favourable colours to Mr. Timmis, and the consequence was that he began to take more notice of me.

“Andrew, what sort of a fist can you write?” demanded he.  I shewed him some caligraphic specimens.

“D___ me, if your y’s and your g’s hav’nt tails like skippingropes.  We
must have a little topping and tailing here, and I think you’ll do.  Here,
make out this account, and enter it in the book.”

He left me to do his bidding; and when he returned from the Stock-Exchange, inspected the performance, which I had executed with perspiring ardour.