take more than three shillings in the day, yet, as two out of the three were clear profit, I did pretty well. However, a little accident happened, which obliged me to change my profession, or at least, the nature of the articles which I dealt in.

I had arrived late at a small ale-house, had put up my pack, which was in a painted deal box, on the table in the tap-room, and was very busy, after reading a paragraph in the newspaper, making a fine speech, which I always found was received with great applause, and many shakes of hand, as a prime good fellow.

The people had all gathered around me, applauding violently, when I thought I might as well look after my pack, which had been for some time hidden from my sight by the crowd, when, to my mortification, I found out that some of my listeners had walked off with my pack and its contents. Unfortunately, I had deposited in my boxes all my money, considering it safer there than in my pockets, and had nothing left but about seventeen shillings in silver, which I had received within the last three days. Every one was very sorry, but no one knew any thing about it; and when I challenged the landlord as answerable, he called me a blackguard, and turned me out of the door.

I walked off to the nearest town, and commenced in a more humble way. I purchased a basket, and then, with the remainder of my money, I bought the commonest crockery ware, such as basins, jugs, mugs, and putting them on my head, off I went again upon my new speculation. I wandered about with crockery, but it was hard work. I could not reap the profits which I did as hawker and pedler. I averaged, however, from seven to nine shillings a week, and that was about sufficient for my support. Sometimes a cook replaced a basin she had broken, by giving me as much meat as had cost her mistress five shillings; and thus avoided a scolding, for an ar ticle which was worth only two-pence. At other times, a cottager would give me a lodging, and would consider himself rewarded with a mug that only cost me one penny. I was more than three months employed carrying crockery in every direction, and never, during the whole time, broke one article, until one day, as I passed through Eton, there was a regular smash of the whole concern. I met about a dozen of Eton boys, and they proposed a cockshy, as they called it; that is I was to place my articles on the top of a post, and they were to throw stones at them, at a certain distance, paying me a

certain sum for each throw. Well, this I thought a very good bargain, so I put up a mug (worth one penny), at one penny a throw. It was knocked down at the second shot, so it was just as well to put the full price upon them at once, they were such remarkable good aimers at any thing. Each boy had a stick, upon which I notched off their throws, and how much they would have to pay when all was over. One article after

another was put on the post until my basket was empty, and then I wanted to settle with them; but as soon as I talked about that, they all burst into a loud laugh, and took to their heels. I chased them, but one might as well have chased eels. If I got hold of one, the others pulled me behind until he escaped, and at last they were all off, and I had nothing left; for while I was busy after some that ran one way, the others kicked my basket before them like a foot ball, until it was fairly out of sight. I had only eight-pence in my pocket, so you perceive, Japhet, how I was going down in the world.

Well, I walked away, cursing all the Eton boys, and all their tutors, who did not teach them honesty as well as Latin and Greek, and put up at a very humble sort of abode, where they sold small beer, and gave beds at two-pence per night, and I may add, with plenty of fleas in the bargain. There I fell in with some ballad-singers and mumpers, who were making very merry, and who asked me what was the matter. I told them how I had been treated, and they laughed at me, but they gave me some supper, so I forgave them. An old man, who governed the party, then asked me whether I had any money. I produced my enormous capital of eight-pence. Quite enough if you are clever," said he; "quite enoughmany a man with half that sum has ended in rolling in his carriage. A man with thousands has only the advance of you a few years. You will pay for your lodging, and then spend this sixpence in matches, and hawk them about the town. If you are lucky, it will be a shilling to-morrow night. Besides, you go down to the areas, and sometimes enter a kitchen, when the cook is up stairs. There are plenty of things to be picked up." "But I am not dishonest," said I. Well, then, every man to his liking; only if you were you would ride in your own coach the sooner. And suppose I should lose all this, or none would buy my matches, what then?" replied I, "I shall starve." "Starve!-no, no-no one starves in this country; all you have to do is to get into gaol-committed for a month-you will live better perhaps than you ever did before.

I have been in every gaol in England, and I know the good ones, for even in gaols there is a great difference. Now the one in this town is one of the best in all England, and I patronizes it during the winter." I was much amused with the discourse of this old mumper, who appeared to be one of the merriest old vagabonds in England. I took his advice, bought six pennyworth of matches, and commenced my new vagrant speculation.

The first day I picked up three-pence, for one quarter of my stock, and returned to the same place where I had slept the night before, but the fraternity had quitted on an expedition. I spent my two-pence in bread and cheese, and paid one penny for my lodging, and again I started the next morning, but I was very unsuccessful; nobody appeared to want matches that day, and after walking from seven o'clock in the morning, to past seven in the evening, without selling one farthing's worth, I sat down at the porch of a chapel, quite tired and worn out. At last I fell asleep, and how do you think I was awoke? By a strong sense of suffocation, and up I sprang, coughing, and nearly choked, surrounded with smoke. Some mischievous boys, perceiving that I was fast asleep, had set fire to my matches, as I held them in my hand between my legs, and I did not wake until my fingers were severely burnt. There was an end of my speculation in matches, because there was an end of all my capital.

I felt very miserable, and walked off, thinking about the propriety of getting into gaol as soon as I could, for the beggar had strongly recommended it. I was at the outskirts of the town, when I perceived two men tussling with one another, and I walked towards them. "I says," says one, who appeared to be a constable, " you must come along with I.— Don't you see that ere board? All wagrants shall be taken up, and dealt with according to la." "Now may the devil hold you in his claws, you old psalm-singing thief-an't I a sailor -and an't I a wagrant by profession, and all according to law?" "That won't do," says the other; "I commands you in the king's name, to let me take you to prison, and I commands you also, young man," says he-for I had walked up to them

"I commands you, as a lawful subject, to assist me. "What will you give the poor fellow for his trouble?" said the sailor. "It's his duty, as a lawful subject, and I'll give him nothing; but I'll put him in prison if he don't." "Then you old rhinoceros, I'll give him five shillings if he'll help me, and so now

he may take his choice." At all events, thought I, this will turn out lucky one way or the other; but I will support the man who is most generous; so I went up to the constable, who was a burly sort of a fellow, and tripped up his heels, and down he came on the back of his head..

"Well," the sailor says to me, "I've a notion you've damaged his upper works, so let us start off, and clap on all sail for the next town. I know where to drop an anchor. Come along with me, and as long as I've a shot in the locker, I will always share it with one who has proved a friend in need." The constable did not come to his senses: he was very much stunned, but we loosened his neckcloth, and left him there, and started off as fast as we could. My new companion, who had a wooden leg, stopped by a gate, and clambered over it. "We must lose no time," said he; " and I may just as well have the benefit of both legs." So saying, he took off his wooden stump, and let down his real leg, which was fixed up. I made no comments, but off we set, and at a good round pace gained a village about five miles distant. "Here we will put up for the night; but they will look for us to-morrow at daylight, or a little after, therefore we must be starting early. I know the law-beggars well; they won't turn out afore sunrise." stopped at a paltry ale-house, where we were admitted, and soon were busy with a much better supper than I had ever imagined they could have produced; but my new friend ordered right and left, with a tone of authority, and every body in the house appeared at his beck and command. After a couple of glasses of grog, we retired to our beds.

He

The next morning we started before break of day, on our road to another town, where my companion said the constables would never take the trouble to come after him. On our way

he questioned me as to my mode of getting my livelihood, and I narrated how unfortunate I had been. "One good turn deserves another," replied the sailor; "and now I'll set you up in trade. Can you sing? Have you any thing of a voice?"— "I can't say that I have," replied I. "I don't mean whether you can sing in tune, or have a good voice, that's no consequence; all I want to know is, have you a good loud one?" Loud enough, if that's all."-" That's all that's requisite; so long as you can make yourself heard-you may then howl like a jackall, or bellow like a mad buffalo, no matter which—as many pay us for to get rid of us, as out of charity; and so long as the money comes, what's the odds? Why I once knew an old

chap, who could only play one tune on the clarionet, and that tune out of all tune, who made his fortune in six or seven streets, for every one gave him money, and told him to go away. When he found out that, he came every morning as regular as clock-work. Now there was one of the streets which was chiefly occupied by music sellers and Italian singers-for them foreigners always herd together-and this tune, "which the old cow died of," as the saying is, used to be their horror, and out came the half-pence to send him away. There was a sort of club also in that street, of larking sort of young men, and when they perceived that the others gave the old man money to get rid of his squeaking, they sent him out money, with orders to stay and play to them so then the others sent out more for him to go away, and between the two, the old fel low brought home more money than all the cadgers and mum pers in the district. Now if you have a loud voice, I can provide you with all the rest.' "Do you gain your livelihood by that?"—"To be sure I do; and I can tell you that of all the trades going, there is none equal to it. You see, my hearty, I have been on board of a man-of-war-not that I am a sailor, or was ever bred to the sea-but I was shipped as a landsman, and did duty in the waist and afterguard. I know little or nothing of my duty as a seaman, nor was it required in the station I was in, so I never learnt, although I was four years on board; all I learnt was the lingo and slang-and that you must contrive to learn from me. I bolted, and made my way good to Lunnun, but I should soon have been picked up and put on board the Tender again, if I hadn't got this wooden stump made, which I now carry in my hand. I had plenty of songs, and I commenced my profession, and a real good un it is, I can tell you. Why, do you know, that a'ter a good victory, I have sometimes picked up as much as two pounds a-day, for weeks running; as it is, I averages from fifteen shillings to a pound. Now, as you helped me away from that land shark, who would soon have found out that I had two legs, and have put me into limbo as an impostor, I will teach you to arn your livelihood after my fashion. You shall work with me until you are fit to start alone, and then there's plenty of room in England for both of us; but mind, never tell any one what you pick up, or every mumper in the island will put on a suit of sailor's clothes, and the thing will be blown upon." Of course, this was too good an offer to be rejected, and I joyfully acceded. At first, I worked with him as having only one arm,