n just come a little out of hearing, a little farther on the grass,
if you please, my lord.'

'Why do you call me my lord?' said I, as I arose and followed him.

'We of the thimble always calls our customers lords,' said the man; 'but
I won't call you such a foolish name any more; come along.'

The man walked along the plain till he came to the side of a dry pit,
when, looking round to see that no one was nigh, he laid his table on the
grass, and, sitting down with his legs over the side of the pit, he
motioned me to do the same. 'So you are in want of employ?' said he,
after I had sat down beside him.

'Yes,' said I, 'I am very much in want of employ.'

'I think I can find you some.'

'What kind?' said I.

'Why,' said the man, 'I think you would do to be my bonnet.'

'Bonnet!' said I, 'what is that?'

'Don't you know? However, no wonder, as you had never heard of the
thimble and pea game, but I will tell you. We of the game are very much
exposed; folks when they have lost their money, as those who play with us
mostly do, sometimes uses rough language, calls us cheats, and sometimes
knocks our hats over our eyes; and what's more, with a kick under our
table, cause the top deals to fly off; this is the third table I have
used this day, the other two being broken by uncivil customers: so we of
the game generally like to have gentlemen go about with us to take our
part, and encourage us, though pretending to know nothing about us; for
example, when the customer says, "I'm cheated," the bonnet must say, "No,
you ain't, it is all right"; or, when my hat is knocked over my eyes, the
bonnet must square, and say, "I never saw the man before in all my life,
but I won't see him ill-used"; and so, when they kicks at the table, the
bonnet must say, "I won't see the table ill-used, such a nice table, too;
besides, I want to play myself"; and then I would say to the bonnet,
"Thank you, my lord, them that finds, wins"; and then the bonnet plays,
and I lets the bonnet win.'

'In a word,' said I, 'the bonnet means the man who covers you, even as
the real bonnet covers the head.'

'I just so,' said the man; 'I see you are awake, and would soon make a
first-rate bonnet.'

'Bonnet,' said I, musingly; 'bonnet; it is metaphorical.'

'Is it?' said the man.

'Yes,' said I, 'like the cant words--'

'Bonnet is cant,' said the man; 'we of the thimble, as well as all cly-
fakers and the like, understand cant, as, of course, mu