u lend me a handkerchief? That won't do," said he, as I
presented him with a silk one. "I wish for a delicate white
handkerchief. That's just the kind of thing," said he, as the Hungarian
offered him a fine white cambric handkerchief, beautifully worked with
gold at the hems; "now you shall see me set this handkerchief on fire."
"Don't let him do so by any means," said the Hungarian, speaking to me in
German; "it is the gift of a lady whom I highly admire, and I would not
have it burnt for the world." "He has no occasion to be under any
apprehension," said the jockey, after I had interpreted to him what the
Hungarian had said; "I will restore it to him uninjured, or my name is
not Jack Dale." Then sticking the handkerchief carelessly into the left
side of his bosom, he took the candle, which by this time had burnt very
low, and holding his head back, he applied the flame to the handkerchief,
which instantly seemed to catch fire. "What do you think of that?" said
he to the Hungarian. "Why, that you have ruined me," said the latter.
"No harm done, I assure you," said the jockey, who presently, clapping
his hand on his bosom, extinguished the fire, and returned the
handkerchief to the Hungarian, asking him if it was burnt. "I see no
burn upon it," said the Hungarian; "but in the name of Gott how could you
set it on fire without burning it?" "I never set it on fire at all,"
said the jockey; "I set this on fire," showing us a piece of half-burnt
calico. "I placed this calico above it, and lighted not the
handkerchief, but the rag. Now I will show you something else. I have a
magic shilling in my pocket, which I can make run up along my arm. But,
first of all, I would gladly know whether either of you can do the like."
Thereupon the Hungarian and myself, putting our hands into our pockets,
took out shillings, and endeavoured to make them run up our arms, but
utterly failed; both shillings, after we had made two or three attempts,
falling to the ground. "What noncomposses you both are," said the
jockey; and placing a shilling on the end of the fingers of his right
hand he made strange faces to it, drawing back his head, whereupon the
shilling instantly began to run up his arm, occasionally hopping and
jumping as if it were bewitched, always endeavouring to make towards the
head of the jockey.

"How do I do that?" said he, addressing himself to me. "I really do not
know," said I, "unless it is by the motion of you