ortable meal they had eaten
for many a day. It was seasoned, too, with such racy talk, abounding in
anecdote, from Maggot, and such importunate hospitality on the part of
his better half, that the men felt no disposition to cut it short.
Little Grace, too, was charmingly attentive, for she, poor child, being
utterly ignorant of the double parts which her parents were playing,
rejoiced, in the native kindliness of her heart, to see them all so
happy. Even the "chet" seemed to enter into the spirit of what was
going on, for, regardless of the splendid opportunity that now presented
itself of obtaining repose to its heart's content, that black ball of
concentrated essence of mischief dashed wildly about the floor and up
the bed-curtains, with its back up and its tail thickened, and its green
eyes glaring defiance at everything animate, inanimate, or otherwise,
insomuch that Maggot made sundry efforts to quell it with the
three-legged stool--and Mrs Maggot followed suit with a dish-clout--but
in vain!

Meanwhile, men and mules and horses were converging by many paths and
lanes towards the old shaft, and the shaft itself was apparently endued
with the properties of a volcano, for out of its mouth issued a
continuous shower of dust and stones, while many stalwart arms laid bare
the mine beneath, and tossed up the precious "tubs" of brandy.

Before the pleasant little tea-party in Maggot's cottage broke up the
whole were scattered abroad, and men and mules and horses sped with
their ill-gotten gains across the furze-clad moors.

"Sure it's early to break up," said Maggot, when the boatsmen at last
rose to take their leave; "there's no fear o' the bunches o' copper
melting down there, or flyin' away."

"There's no saying," replied Eben Trezise; "you've heerd as well as we
of lodes takin' the bit in their teeth an' disappearing--eh?"

"Well, iss, so they do sometimes; I'll not keep 'ee longer;
good-hevenin' to 'ee," said Maggot, going outside the door and wishing
them all manner of success as they returned to the old shaft.

Reader, shall we follow the two knowing fellows to that shaft? Shall we
mark the bewildered expression of amazement with which they gazed into
it, and listen to the wild fiendish laugh of mingled amusement and wrath
that bursts from them in fitful explosions as the truth flashes into
their unwilling minds? No; vice had triumphed over virtue, and we deem
it a kindness to your sensitive nature to dra