f the tents, and laid myself down on
the grass. There was much noise in the tent. "Who will stand me?" said
a voice with a slight tendency to lisp. "Will you, my lord?" "Yes,"
said another voice. Then there was a sound as of a piece of money
banging on a table. "Lost! lost! lost!" cried several voices; and then
the banging down of the money, and the "lost! lost! lost!" were
frequently repeated; at last the second voice exclaimed: "I will try no
more; you have cheated me". "Never cheated any one in my life, my
lord--all fair--all chance. Them that finds, wins--them that can't find,
loses. Any one else try? Who'll try? Will you, my lord?" and then it
appeared that some other lord tried, for I heard more money flung down.
Then again the cry of "Lost! lost!"--then again the sound of money, and
so on. Once or twice, but not more, I heard "Won! won!" but the
predominant cry was "Lost! lost!" At last there was a considerable
hubbub, and the words "Cheat!" "Rogue!" and "You filched away the pea!"
were used freely by more voices than one, to which the voice with the
tendency to lisp replied: "Never filched a pea in my life; would scorn
it. Always glad when folks wins; but, as those here don't appear to be
civil, nor to wish to play any more, I shall take myself off with my
table; so, good-day, gentlemen."

CHAPTER LIII.

Presently a man emerged from the tent, bearing before him a rather
singular table; it appeared to be of white deal, was exceedingly small at
the top, and with very long legs. At a few yards from the entrance he
paused, and looked round, as if to decide on the direction which he
should take; presently, his eye glancing on me as I lay upon the ground,
he started, and appeared for a moment inclined to make off as quick as
possible, table and all. In a moment, however, he seemed to recover
assurance, and, coming up to the place where I was, the long legs of the
table projecting before him, he cried: "Glad to see you here, my lord".

"Thank you," said I, "it's a fine day."

"Very fine, my lord; will your lordship play? Them that finds, wins--them
that don't find, loses."

"Play at what?" said I.

"Only at the thimble and pea, my lord."

"I never heard of such a game."

"Didn't you? Well, I'll soon teach you," said he, placing the table
down. "All you have to do is to put a sovereign down on my table, and to
find the pea, which I put under one of my thimbles. If you find it--and
it