ad served the bully right!' As
for the clan, they all said Hunter was bound to do me justice; so they
made him pay me what he owed for himself, and the reckoning of those
among them who said they had no money. Two or three of them then led him
away, while the rest stayed behind, and flattered me, and worshipped me,
and called Hunter all kinds of dogs' names. What do you think of that?"

"Why," said I, "it makes good what I read in a letter which I received
yesterday. It is just the way of the world."

"A'n't it!" said the landlord. "Well, that a'n't all; let me go on. Good
fortune never yet came alone. In about an hour comes home my poor niece,
almost in high sterricks with joy, smiling and sobbing. She had been to
the clergyman of M. . ., the great preacher, to whose church she was in
the habit of going, and to whose daughters she was well known; and to him
she told a lamentable tale about my distresses, and about the snares
which had been laid for my soul; and so well did she plead my cause, and
so strong did the young ladies back all she said, that the good clergyman
promised to stand my friend, and to lend me sufficient money to satisfy
the brewer, and to get my soul out of the snares of the man in black; and
sure enough the next morning the two young ladies brought me the fifty
pounds, which I forthwith carried to the brewer, who was monstrously
civil, saying that he hoped any little understanding we had had would not
prevent our being good friends in future. That a'n't all; the people of
the neighbouring country hearing as if by art witchcraft that I had
licked Hunter, and was on good terms with the brewer, forthwith began to
come in crowds to look at me, pay me homage, and be my customers.
Moreover, fifty scoundrels who owed me money, and who would have seen me
starve rather than help me as long as they considered me a down pin,
remembered their debts, and came and paid me more than they owed. That
a'n't all: the brewer, being about to establish a stage-coach and three,
to run across the country, says it shall stop and change horses at my
house, and the passengers breakfast and sup as it goes and returns. He
wishes me--whom he calls the best man in England--to give his son lessons
in boxing, which he says he considers a fine manly English art, and a
great defence against Popery--notwithstanding that only a month ago, when
he considered me a down pin, he was in the habit of railing against it as
a black