usiness was very soon accomplished, as the butchers, to
whom Mr Strelley's beasts were well-known, looked forward to supply
themselves regularly from those which were brought to them by his
drovers. The sums obtained for the cattle were to be spent in wool and
hops; and besides this more important business, Brinsmead and Deane,
with their men, had a great variety of private purchases to make for
their families and friends.

CHAPTER TEN.

JACK ENCOUNTERS MASTER PEARSON, AND GOES TO NORWICH.

"Vanity Fair! Vanity Fair all over!" exclaimed Brinsmead to Jack, as
they worked their way amidst the gaily-clad talking, higgling, laughing,
shouting throng. "It's many a day since I came to this part of the
meadow. It becometh me more to keep to the Duddery, where staple wares
are to be found, than to be wandering about in this fool's paradise; but
I wished you, my young friend, to see what is to be seen, that I may
point out its folly, and that you might not be fancying you had missed
some great delight. See yonder shouting fool, with bells and cap and
painted face, grimacing away to the gaping crowd, who think him the
merriest fellow they have ever set eyes on. Look into the poor wretch's
heart, and, take my word for it, it's well-nigh breaking. Maybe he has
a sickly wife and ten small children at home, who will starve if he
ceases to grimace: so grimace he must to the end of the chapter. But
who is this? An old friend, I verily believe!"

"Yea, and a trusty one, friend Brinsmead," said a person who at that
moment confronted Will, and took him cordially by the hand. "But what
can have brought you into this hurly-burly of folly and wickedness?"

"And what has brought you into the midst of the same hurly-burly, Job
Hodgkinson?" asked Will.

"I desired to make a short cut from the Duddery, and took my way across
it," answered the stranger.

Jack did not hear more of what was said; for Will having let go his arm,
and the crowd pressing on them, they were speedily separated from each
other. Jack looked about for his friend, but old Brinsmead's
low-crowned hat was completely concealed by the higher beavers of more
pretentious and taller persons. He pushed on as well as he could among
the crowd, hoping to overtake Brinsmead, but probably passed him.
Suddenly he caught sight, as he thought, of the worthy drover's
broad-built figure, moving in a different direction to what he had
expected at a pretty quick rate. T