out of sight. I had only eight-pence in my pocket, so you
perceive, Japhet, how I was going down in the world."

"You were indeed, Tim."

PART THREE, CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

TIMOTHY FINISHES HIS NARRATIVE.

"Well, I walked away, cursing all the Eton boys and all their tutors,
who did not teach them honesty as well as Latin and Greek, and put up at
a very humble sort of abode, where they sold small beer, and gave beds
at two-pence per night, and I may add, with plenty of fleas in the
bargain. There I fell in with some ballad singers and mumpers, who were
making very merry, and who asked me what was the matter. I told them
how I had been treated, and they laughed at me, but gave me some supper,
so I forgave them. An old man, who governed the party, then asked me
whether I had any money. I produced my enormous capital of eight-pence.
`Quite enough, if you are clever,' said he; `quite enough--many a man
with half that sum has ended in rolling in his carriage. A man with
thousands has only the advance of you a few years. You will pay for
your lodging and then spend this sixpence in matches, and hawk them
about the town. If you are lucky, it will be a shilling by to-morrow
night. Besides, you go down into areas, and sometimes enter a kitchen,
when the cook is above stairs. There are plenty of things to be picked
up.' `But I am not dishonest,' said I. `Well, then, every man to his
liking; only if you were, you would ride in your own coach the sooner.'
`And suppose I should lose all this, or none would buy my matches, what
then?' replied I; `I shall starve.' `Starve--no, no--no one starves in
this country; all you have to do is to get into gaol--committed for a
month--you will live better perhaps than you ever did before. I have
been in every gaol in England, and I know the good ones, for even in
gaols there is a great difference. Now the one in this town is one of
the best in all England, and I patronises it during the winter.' I was
much amused with the discourse of this mumper, who appeared to be one of
the merriest old vagabonds in England. I took his advice, bought six
pennyworth of matches, and commenced my new vagrant speculation.

"The first day I picked up three-pence, for one quarter of my stock, and
returned to the same place where I had slept the night before, but the
fraternity had quitted on an expedition. I spent my two-pence in bread
and cheese, and paid one penny for my lodging, and again