them--a sorry
bay, with a sorry saddle, and a large pack behind it; on which each by
turn took a ride. Of the two, one was a man of excessive stature, with
red hair, a very prominent nose, and a faded military dress; while the
other, an old weather-beaten, sober-looking personage, wore the
costume of a civilian--both man and dress appearing to have reached the
autumnal, or seedy state. However, the pair seemed, in spite of their
apparent poverty, to be passably merry. The old gentleman rode the
horse; and had, in the course of their journey, ridden him two miles at
least in every three. The tall one walked with immense strides by his
side; and seemed, indeed, as if he could have quickly outstripped
the four-footed animal, had he chosen to exert his speed, or had not
affection for his comrade retained him at his stirrup.

A short time previously the horse had cast a shoe; and this the tall
man on foot had gathered up, and was holding in his hand: it having been
voted that the first blacksmith to whose shop they should come should be
called upon to fit it again upon the bay horse.

"Do you remimber this counthry, Meejor?" said the tall man, who was
looking about him very much pleased, and sucking a flower. "I think
thim green cornfields is prettier looking at than the d----- tobacky out
yondther, and bad lack to it!"

"I recollect the place right well, and some queer pranks we played here
seven years agone," responded the gentleman addressed as Major. "You
remember that man and his wife, whom we took in pawn at the 'Three
Rooks'?"

"And the landlady only hung last Michaelmas?" said the tall man,
parenthetically.

"Hang the landlady!--we've got all we ever would out of HER, you know.
But about the man and woman. You went after the chap's mother, and, like
a jackass, as you are, let him loose. Well, the woman was that Catherine
that you've often heard me talk about. I like the wench, ---- her, for
I almost brought her up; and she was for a year or two along with that
scoundrel Galgenstein, who has been the cause of my ruin."

"The infernal blackguard and ruffian!" said the tall man; who, with his
companion, has no doubt been recognised by the reader.

"Well, this Catherine had a child by Galgenstein; and somewhere here
hard by the woman lived to whom we carried the brat to nurse. She was
the wife of a blacksmith, one Billings: it won't be out of the way to
get our horse shod at his house, if he is alive still, and w