escape from the party; but, seeing this impossible, he stood his ground
manfully, and awaited the pleasure of the gentlemen, whose notice, he
said, he had the honour, it seemed, of so specially attracting. A
momentary glance at the speaker satisfied Jones and his party of his
quality. It was that of a professed street performer; or at least of a
person of the humblest class, as was indicated by his apparel, which
consisted of a short cloak, with a sort of coarse jerkin underneath, a
pair of wide and ill-made knee-breeches, coarse blue woollen stockings,
and a pair of enormous wooden shoes. On his head was a brown felt hat,
of a conical shape, adorned with a cock's feather, and altogether
resembling those seen in paintings of Dutch boors. These outward
indications, then, settled the question of the minstrel's rank, and
rendered no ceremony necessary in inviting him in.

"You play well, friend," said Jones. "We have been listening to you, and
will be glad if you will come and amuse us for half-an-hour or so. I
will see to your being suitably recompensed."

"Thank you, honourable sirs," replied the minstrel. "I doubt not of my
recompense, were it once earned; but the hour is late, and I may not
tarry abroad longer. Moreover, I make it a rule never to enter any
house, or to perform to any private party within-doors. I bid you a
good-night, gentlemen."

"Nay, by my troth, and you do no such thing, friend," said Jones,
seizing the minstrel, who was at this moment about making off, by the
skirt of his jerkin. "We don't part with good company in this way.
Friends," he said, addressing his companions, "lend a hand here, to
secure the fiddler. We must compel him to his own interest, which he
would thus wilfully neglect."

No sooner said than done. In a twinkling the reluctant minstrel was
grasped on all sides, and in an instant after found himself in the
centre of the kitchen of the Drouthsloken, to which he had been carried
almost bodily, in despite of a certain quantum of vain resistance and
remonstrance, by which he had at first endeavoured to thwart the purpose
of his captors. On being brought into the light of the kitchen, it was
discovered that the captured fiddler and songster was deficient of an
eye, at least of the use of it, as it was covered by a large green
shade, apparently unnecessarily large, as it concealed the half of his
face. Another peculiarity was now also observable, and this was, that
the neck of his