custom--showed me that my pocket had always been to the left; my right
hand sought the spot with an almost mechanical impulse, whereas my left
wandered about like a man in search of his newly-taken lodging. As I
came to this puzzling fact, my fingers, deeply immersed in the pocket,
came in contact with a small leather case. I drew it forth; it was not
mine,--I had never seen it before! I opened it; there was nothing within
but a small piece of card, with the words, "Full Share Ticket," on top,
and, underneath, the figures, '"38."

From the card, my eyes reverted to the coat itself; and now I saw, with
a surprise I cannot convey, that it was not my own coat, but another
man's, I was wearing. The negro at the ordinary had assisted me to put
it on. It was the only one, indeed, remaining, as I came away, and some
other had carried off mine. So far, it was a fair exchange, of which I
was not in any way accountable, seeing that I performed a mere passive
part; taking--and even that unwillingly--what was left me. Certain
threadbare symptoms about the cuffs, and a missing button or two, also
showed me that I was no gainer by the barter. Was it worth while to go
back? Were the chances of recovering my own equal to the risk of being
myself discovered? I thought not. It was decidedly a shabby investment,
and, now that I examined it more closely, a very miserable substitute
for my own. I was vexed at the occurrence, and could not help
reflecting, in very severe terms, upon the breach of honor such an act
displayed. "Lie down with dogs, Master Con," says the adage, "and see
if you don't get up with fleas!" "Such company as you passed the evening
with were assuredly not above a piece of roguery like this." Falkoner it
could not be; and I own that I was glad to know that, since he was much
taller than me; nor could I remember one who was near enough my own size
to make me suppose him the culprit; and so I ended by attributing the
knavery to the negro, who probably had kept this ancient vestment for a
moment of substitution.

It may be inferred, from the difficulty of solution in the case of this
very simple occurrence, that my faculties were not pre-eminently clear
and lucid, and that the vapor of the Thumbo-rig still hung heavily over
me; such, I am bound to own, was the fact. Every event of the previous
night was as shadowy and imperfect as might be. It was only during the
last half-hour of my conversation with Falkoner that I was