ise for my intrusion.'

'No apology is necessary,' said I; 'will you please to take anything
before you go? I think this young lady, at my request, would contrive to
make you a cup of tea.'

'Tea!' said the man in black; 'he! he! I don't drink tea; I don't like
it--if, indeed, you had,' and here he stopped.

'There's nothing like gin and water, is there?' said I, 'but I am sorry
to say I have none.'

'Gin and water,' said the man in black, 'how do you know that I am fond
of gin and water?'

'Did I not see you drinking some at the public-house?'

'You did,' said the man in black, 'and I remember that, when I called for
some you repeated my words--permit me to ask, is gin and water an unusual
drink in England?'

'It is not usually drunk cold, and with a lump of sugar,' said I.

'And did you know who I was by my calling for it so?'

'Gypsies have various ways of obtaining information,' said I.

'With all your knowledge,' said the man in black, 'you do not appear to
have known that I was coming to visit you?'

'Gypsies do not pretend to know anything which relates to themselves,'
said I; 'but I advise you, if you ever come again, to come openly.'

'Have I your permission to come again?' said the man in black.

'Come when you please; this dingle is as free for you as me.'

'I will visit you again,' said the man in black--'till then, addio.'

'Belle,' said I, after the man in black had departed, 'we did not treat
that man very hospitably; he left us without having eaten or drunk at our
expense.'

'You offered him some tea,' said Belle, 'which, as it is mine, I should
have grudged him, for I like him not.'

'Our liking or disliking him had nothing to do with the matter, he was
our visitor, and ought not to have been permitted to depart dry; living
as we do in this desert, we ought always to be prepared to administer to
the wants of our visitors. Belle, do you know where to procure any good
Hollands?'

'I think I do,' said Belle, 'but--'

'I will have no buts. Belle, I expect that with as little delay as
possible you procure, at my expense, the best Hollands you can find.'

CHAPTER XCI

Excursions--Adventurous English--Opaque forests--The greatest patience.

Time passed on, and Belle and I lived in the dingle; when I say lived,
the reader must not imagine that we were always there. She went out upon
her pursuits, and I went out where inclination led me; but my excursions
were very short o