ished speaking,
walking to any other part of the room, with his cane to his nose, and
his head cocked on one side, with a self-sufficient tiptoe gait. When I
was ushered into his presence, he was standing with two of the
governors. "This is the lad," said one of them, "his name is _Japhet_."

"Japhet," replied Mr Cophagus; "um, scriptural--Shem, Ham, _um_--and so
on. Boy reads?"

"Very well, and writes a very good hand. He is a very good boy, Mr
Cophagus."

"Read--write--spell--good, and _so on_. Bring him
up--rudiments--spatula--write labels--um--M.D. one of these days--make a
man of him--and so on," said this strange personage, walking round and
round me with his cane to his nose, and scrutinising my person with his
twinkling eyes. I was dismissed after this examination and approval, and
the next day, dressed in a plain suit of clothes, was delivered by the
porter at the shop of Mr Phineas Cophagus, who was not at home when I
arrived.

Chapter II

Like all Tyros, I find the rudiments of learning extremely
difficult and laborious, but advance so rapidly than I can do
without my Master.

A tall, fresh-coloured, but hectic looking young man, stood behind the
counter, making up prescriptions, and a dirty lad, about thirteen years
old, was standing near with his basket to deliver the medicines to the
several addresses, as soon as they were ready. The young man behind the
counter, whose name was Brookes, was within eighteen months of serving
his time, when his friends intended to establish him on his own account,
and this was the reason which induced Mr Cophagus to take me, that I
might learn the business, and supply his place when he left. Mr Brookes
was a very quiet, amiable person, kind to me and the other boy who
carried out the medicines, and who had been taken by Mr Cophagus, for
his food and raiment. The porter told Mr Brookes who I was, and left me.
"Do you think that you will like to be an apothecary?" said Mr Brookes
to me, with a benevolent smile.

"Yes; I do not see why I should not," replied I.

"Stop a moment," said the lad who was waiting with the basket, lookly
archly at me, "you hav'n't got through your _rudimans_ yet."

"Hold your tongue, Timothy," said Mr Brookes. "That you are not very
fond of the rudiments, as Mr Cophagus calls them, is very clear. Now
walk off as fast as you can with these medicines, sir--14, Spring
Street; 16, Cleaver Street, as before; and then to J