d the learned Judge, turning over his notes.

"O, quite, my lud."

"Ah!" says his lordship: "what do you say the name of the case was?"

"_Bumpkin_ against _Snooks_, my lud," says Mr. Ricochet, Q.C.

"Coots; what was it,--a Bill of Exchange?" asks his lordship.

"Snooks, my lud, Snooks;" says Mr. Ricochet, "with the greatest
deference, my lud, his name is spelt with an S."

Judge, still turning over his book from end to end calls to his clerk,
and addressing Mr. Ricochet, says: "When do you say it was tried, Mr.
Ricochet?"

"Yesterday, my lud; with great submission, my lud, I overheard your
ludship say Coots. Snooks, my lud."

Then all the Judges cried "Snooks!" as if it had been a puzzle or a
conundrum at a family Christmas party, and they had all guessed it at
once.

"Bring me the book for this term," said the Judge sharply to his clerk.

"What was the name of the plaintiff?" enquired Mr. Justice Doughty.

"Bumpkin, my lud," said Mr. Ricochet, "with great deference."

"Ah, Pumpkin, so it was," said the presiding Judge.

"With great submission, my lud, Bumpkin!"

"Eh?"

"Bumpkin, my lud;" and then all the Judges' cried "Bumpkin!" as pleased
as the followers of Columbus when they discovered America.

"Ah, here it is," said Mr. Justice Pangloss, passing his forefinger
slowly along the page; "the name of the case you refer to, Mr. Ricochet,
is _Bumpkin_ v. _Snooks_, not _Coots_ v. _Pumpkin_, and it was tried
before me and a special jury on the twenty-eighth of July of the present
year."

"Yes, my lud, with all submission."

"Why, that was yesterday," said Mr. Justice Pangloss. "Why did you not
say so; I was referring to last year's book."

"With all deference, my lud--"

"Never mind, never mind, Mr. Ricochet; let us get on."

"What do you move for?" asked Mr. Justice Doughty.

"A new trial, my lud."

"A new trial--yes--? Which way was the verdict, Mr. Ricochet?"

"Verdict for the plaintiff, my lud."

"And whom do you appear for?"

"I am for the defendant, my lud."

"O! you're for the defendant. Stop--let me have my note correct. I find
it always of great assistance when the rule comes on to be argued. I
don't say you're going to have a rule. I must know a little more of the
case before we grant a rule."

"If your ludship pleases."

I did not gather what his lordship intended to say when he made the
observations recorded, and can only regret that his lordship should have
broken