kely look at the ticket, and see
it marked five pounds, and if you say you will let him have it for
three pounds, or two pounds, or even for one pound, if he hesitates, it
is also likely he will buy it, thinking he is getting a great bargain."

"What do you mean by 'snow-dropping?'" I asked.

"Oh!" said he, "that's a poor game. It means lifting clothes off the
bleaching line, or hedges. Needy mizzlers, mumpers, shallow-blokes, and
flats may carry it on, but it's too low and paltry for you."

"Who do you mean by mumpers and shallow-blokes?" I enquired.

"Why 'mumpers' are cadgers; beggars in fact. There's old Dick over in
that bed there; he used to go 'mumping,' and when he got boosey with
too much lush he stole some paltry thing or other, and being so often
convicted they have 'legged'[12] him at last. They can't make an honest
living, and can't make a living by thieving; but, you know, it's
different with you. You could make a fair thing by 'snotter-hauling,'
even if you cannot get on at 'fly-buzzing,' which would suit you well
enough; but it's better to stick to one good game, and get as expert at
that as you can, for then you don't run so much risk, and you can keep
a sharper look out after the 'coppers'.[13] Talking of mumping: old Dick
used to go to the farm-houses with a piece of dried cow-dung, and ask
for a bit of butter to put on it. Very often they took pity on him and
gave him lots of meat; for they thought he must be very hungry to eat
the cow-dung, which of course, you know, was only a dodge. In order to
get to Liverpool once from some place up the Mersey, whence the fare
down was a shilling, Dick went on board the steamer and asked the
captain what he charged for lambs. 'A penny a-head,' says the captain.
'Oh! that will do,' says Dick; and away he goes among the passengers.
When they were collecting the fares Dick holds out his penny, which was
all the 'tin' he had in the world. 'The fare's a shilling,' said the
captain. 'Yes, it may be,' said Dick, 'but I asked you the fare for
lambs. My name is Lamb; I'm an innocent creature, and the long and the
short of it is I've only a penny. If you can't take it, just give me a
sail back again.' That chap over there with the one arm is a regular
'mumper,' and he is a strong, robust fellow, able to work with any man
in the prison; but he can make ten times more by 'mumping,' and I do
not blame the like of him going on that 'racket.' Every man for himself
in this w