ned the beefsteaks with his fork.

"Well, Ned," said Augustus, throwing himself into a chair, which he drew
to the fire, while he gently patted the huge limbs of Mr. Pepper, as if
to admonish him that they were not so transparent as glass, "let us look
at the fire; and, by the by, it is your turn to see to the horses."

"Plague on it!" cried Ned; "it is always my turn, I think. Holla, you
Scot of the pot! can't you prove that I groomed the beasts last? I'll
give you a crown to do it."

The wise MacGrawler pricked up his ears.

"A crown!" said he,--"a crown! Do you mean to insult me, Mr. Pepper?
But, to be sure, you did see to the horses last; and this worthy
gentleman, Mr. Tomlinson, must remember it too."

"How!" cried Augustus; "you are mistaken, and I'll give you half a
guinea to prove it."

MacGrawler opened his eyes larger and larger, even as you may see
a small circle in the water widen into enormity, if you disturb the
equanimity of the surface by the obtrusion of a foreign substance.

"Half a guinea!" said he; "nay, nay, you joke. I'm not mercenary. You
think I am! Pooh, pooh! you are mistaken; I'm a man who means weel,
a man of veracity, and will speak the truth in spite of all the
half-guineas in the world. But certainly, now I begin to think of it,
Mr. Tomlinson did see to the creatures last; and, Mr. Pepper, it is your
turn."

"A very Daniel!" said Tomlinson, chuckling in his usual dry manner.
"Ned, don't you hear the horses neigh?"

"Oh, hang the horses!" said the volatile Pepper, forgetting everything
else, as he thrust his hands in his pockets, and felt the gains of the
night; "let us first look to our winnings!"

So saying, he marched towards the table, and emptied his pockets
thereon. Tomlinson, nothing loath, followed the example. Heavens! what
exclamations of delight issued from the scoundrels' lips, as, one by
one, they inspected their new acquisitions!

"Here's a magnificent creature!" cried Ned, handling that superb watch
studded with jewels which the poor earl had once before unavailingly
redeemed,--"a repeater, by Jove!"

"I hope not," said the phlegmatic Augustus; "repeaters will not tell
well for your conversation, Ned! But, powers that be! look at this
ring,--a diamond of the first water!"

"Oh, the sparkler! it makes one's mouth water as much as itself.
'Sdeath, here's a precious box for a sneezer,--a picture inside, and
rubies outside! The old fellow had excellent taste; it w