e.'

The utter irresolution and feebleness of the grey-haired child,
contrasted with the keen and cunning looks of those in whose hands he
was, smote upon the little listener's heart. But she constrained
herself to attend to all that passed, and to note each look and word.

'Confound you, what do you mean?' said the stout man rising a little,
and supporting himself on his elbow. 'Keep you poor! You'd keep us
poor if you could, wouldn't you? That's the way with you whining,
puny, pitiful players. When you lose, you're martyrs; but I don't find
that when you win, you look upon the other losers in that light. As to
plunder!' cried the fellow, raising his voice--'Damme, what do you
mean by such ungentlemanly language as plunder, eh?'

The speaker laid himself down again at full length, and gave one or two
short, angry kicks, as if in further expression of his unbounded
indignation. It was quite plain that he acted the bully, and his
friend the peacemaker, for some particular purpose; or rather, it would
have been to any one but the weak old man; for they exchanged glances
quite openly, both with each other and with the gipsy, who grinned his
approval of the jest until his white teeth shone again.

The old man stood helplessly among them for a little time, and then
said, turning to his assailant:

'You yourself were speaking of plunder just now, you know. Don't be so
violent with me. You were, were you not?'

'Not of plundering among present company! Honour among--among
gentlemen, Sir,' returned the other, who seemed to have been very near
giving an awkward termination to the sentence.

'Don't be hard upon him, Jowl,' said Isaac List. 'He's very sorry for
giving offence. There--go on with what you were saying--go on.'

'I'm a jolly old tender-hearted lamb, I am,' cried Mr Jowl, 'to be
sitting here at my time of life giving advice when I know it won't be
taken, and that I shall get nothing but abuse for my pains. But that's
the way I've gone through life. Experience has never put a chill upon
my warm-heartedness.'

'I tell you he's very sorry, don't I?' remonstrated Isaac List, 'and
that he wishes you'd go on.'

'Does he wish it?' said the other.

'Ay,' groaned the old man sitting down, and rocking himself to and fro.
'Go on, go on. It's in vain to fight with it; I can't do it; go on.'

'I go on then,' said Jowl, 'where I left off, when you got up so quick.
If you're persuaded that it's time for l