r. The people had all gathered round
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 my earnest assertions on
the propriety of community of property had had such an influence upon
some of my listeners, that they 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 anything about it;
and when I challenged the landlord as answerable, he called me a radical
blackguard, and turned me out of the door."

"If you had looked a little more after your own property, and interfered
less with that of other people, you would have done better, Tim,"
observed I, laughing.

"Very true; but, at all events, I have never been a radical since,"
replied Tim. "But to go on. I walked off to the nearest town, and I
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 my crockery, but it was
hard work. I could not reap the profits which I did as a hawker and
pedlar. I averaged, however, from seven to nine shillings a week and
that was about sufficient for my support. I went down into as many
kitchens as would have sufficed to have found a dozen mothers, supposing
mine to be a cook; but I did not see anyone who was at all like me.
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 article 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."

"Indeed, how was that?"

"I met about a dozen of the 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