he present, should anybody
visit me, even supposing I had tea and sugar, which was not the case. I
then overhauled what might more strictly be called the stock in trade;
this consisted of various tools, an iron ladle, a chafing pan and small
bellows, sundry pans and kettles, the latter being of tin, with the
exception of one which was of copper, all in a state of considerable
dilapidation--if I may use the term; of these first Slingsby had spoken
in particular, advising me to mend them as soon as possible, and to
endeavour to sell them, in order that I might have the satisfaction of
receiving some return upon the outlay which I had made. There was
likewise a small quantity of block tin, sheet tin, and solder. "This
Slingsby," said I, "is certainly a very honest man, he has sold me more
than my money's worth; I believe, however, there is something more in the
cart." Thereupon I rummaged the farther end of the cart, and, amidst a
quantity of straw, I found a small anvil and bellows of that kind which
are used in forges, and two hammers such as smiths use, one great, and
the other small.

The sight of these last articles caused me no little surprise, as no word
which had escaped from the mouth of Slingsby have given me reason to
suppose that he had ever followed the occupation of a smith; yet, if he
had not, how did he come by them? I sat down upon the shaft, and
pondered the question deliberately in my mind; at length I concluded that
he had come by them by one of those numerous casualties which occur upon
the roads, of which I, being a young hand upon the roads, must have a
very imperfect conception; honestly, of course--for I scouted the idea
that Slingsby would have stolen this blacksmith's gear--for I had the
highest opinion of his honesty, which opinion I still retain at the
present day, which is upwards of twenty years from the time of which I am
speaking, during the whole of which period I have neither seen the poor
fellow, nor received any intelligence of him.

CHAPTER LXX.

New Profession--Beautiful Night--Jupiter--Sharp and Shrill--The Rommany
Chi--All Alone--Three and Sixpence--What is Rommany?--Be Civil--Parraco
Tute--Slight Start--She Will Be Grateful--The Rustling.

I passed the greater part of the day in endeavouring to teach myself the
mysteries of my new profession. I cannot say that I was very successful,
but the time passed agreeably, and was therefore not ill spent. Towards
evening I