So he
resigned his ill-gotten plunder, and slunk off rubbing his shoulders,
while Ben picked up "Snarley-yow," which he had pitched away in the
beginning of the fray, and somewhat too tired to re-climb his favourite
look-out, threw himself on a patch of grass hard by. From that hour the
friendship of little Bill Smith and Ben was sealed and cemented by
Bill's giving and Ben's taking me as an offering, each ignorant that I
had really originally belonged to Sam. The latter was too cowardly to
reclaim even his own, and therefore contented himself from that time by
lavishing every petty but secret malignity he could devise upon the two
friends. But Ben very speedily left Dewberry, and went to the Naval
School, and gave me with one or two more especial favourites to Frank
Spenser."

"I believe I am the next delegate," said a fine bright, speckled marble,
rolling forward; "and I consider it only candid to warn you that I am
not what I may appear to be. My outward looks would lead you to suppose
I was made of agate, or polished stone at least, but I have really been
the innocent cause of so much deception that I think it only right to
state at the beginning that I am only composed of some species of
chinaware, so highly glazed as to appear like a better material. We
found a very ready sale at the better class of toy shops and were very
popular among the young fry, who cared more for outward looks, and were
not so skilful in selecting really good articles as the bigger boys.

"I was purchased at the "Civet Cat," in Brompton, by little Augusta
Finekyn, as a present for her brother Fred on his approaching birthday,
and as I cost the large sum of fourpence, she had saved a month's pocket
money for the purpose. She intended to keep me as a profound secret
until the auspicious day; but her plan was really defeated by several
unlucky mishaps. First of all, she dropped me in the middle of a crowded
crossing, and was very nearly run over by an omnibus in her search for
me, and only rescued by the old crossing sweeper. The paper in which I
had been wrapped was so saturated with mud, that she was obliged to take
it off and wrap me in a corner of her pocket handkerchief. When she
arrived at home she took off her things, forgetting me in her hurry, and
ran down to dinner. During that meal, having occasion to want her
handkerchief she drew it out of her pocket and me with it, sending me
rolling among the dishes and plates, to her great di