en my tutor satisfaction in
the performance of my exercises, he ordered me a plum-tart as a reward.
It was baked in a tin pan, which I was ordered to bring back as soon as
I had eat the tart. Henry Lenox was remarkably taken with the look of
this tart, and offered to keep it for me till I wanted it, alleging that
his room, which was a north light, would keep it much better than mine,
on which the sun shone the hottest part of the day. I accepted the
offer, and saw him put it into his cupboard. I went immediately to
invite two or three of my intimates to partake of it in the evening in
my own room, and thought I could do no less than ask Harry Lenox to make
one of the party, in consideration of his kindness; but he excused
himself. In the evening we all met, and Harry Lenox brought the tart and
set it down, and begged leave to be excused, as he had promised to take
a walk with his sister. It was a long time, so charming did it look,
before we could persuade ourselves to spoil the sight of it. At last I
stuck my knife into it; but how shall I express our disappointment when,
instead of fine plums and rich juice, we found only pebbles and water!
We all vowed revenge for this piece of treachery, and would have beat
him soundly could we have then found him; but he had taken care to get
out of the way. When our first warmth was over, we concluded it would be
better to treat him in a judicial manner; and he is now before this
court for that purpose.

_Judge._ You have said that you saw him put the tart into the cupboard;
can you take upon you to say whether or not there was any lock to it?

_Sammy Halifax._ I am certain there was no lock on the cupboard; for he
said to me when he put the tart into it that he had no lock, and he
hoped nobody would get at it.

_Judge._ By what reason do you then conclude that he was the thief?

_Sammy Halifax._ Because he had the care of it, and refused to come and
partake of it.

_Secretary._ George Bobadil, come and give evidence.

_Judge._ What do you know of this matter, George Bobadil?

_George Bobadil._ I was one invited by Sammy Halifax to eat part of this
tart; but on cutting it up, instead of plums, we found only stones. It
was instantly concluded that Henry Lenox was the traitor.

_Judge._ Had you any other reason to suppose that Henry Lenox was such?

_George Bobadil._ There was reason to think so; besides, I met him as I
was going to the feast, stopped him, and told him wher