ly and with a suspicious frown,
"What! you know me?"

"To be sure and sartin I does," answered little Dummie, walking to the
table where the robber sat. "Does not you know I?"

Ned regarded the interrogator with a sullen glance, which gradually
brightened into knowledge. "Ah!" said he, with the air of a Brummel,
"Mr. Bummie, or Dummie, I think, eh! Shake a paw,--I'm glad to see you.
Recollect the last time I saw you, you rather affronted me. Never mind.
I dare say you did not mean it."

Encouraged by this affable reception from the highwayman, though a
little embarrassed by Ned's allusion to former conduct on his part,
which he felt was just, Dummie grinned, pushed a stool near Ned, sat
himself down, and carefully avoiding any immediate answer to Ned's
complaints, rejoined,--

"Do you know, Meester Pepper, you struck I all of a heap? I could not
have s'posed as how you'd condescend nowadays to come to the Mug, vhere
I never seed you but once afore. Lord love ye, they says as 'ow you go
to all the fine places in ruffles, with a pair of silver pops in your
vaistcoat pocket! Vy, the boys hereabout say that you and Meester
Tomlinson, and this 'ere poor devil in quod, vere the finest gemmen in
town; and, Lord, for to think of your ciwility to a pitiful ragmerchant,
like I!"

"Ah!" said Ned, gravely, "there are sad principles afloat now. They want
to do away with all distinctions in ranks,--to make a duke no better
than his valet, and a gentleman highwayman class with a filcher of
fogles.' But, damme, if I don't think misfortune levels us all quite
enough; and misfortune brings me here, little Dummie."

"Ah! you vants to keep out of the vay of the bulkies!"

"Right. Since poor Lovett was laid by the heels, which I must say was
the fault of his own deuced gentlemanlike behaviour to me and Augustus
(you've heard of Guz, you say), the knot of us seems quite broken.
One's own friends look inclined to play one false; and really, the queer
cuffins hover so sharply upon us that I thought it safe to duck for a
time. So I have taken a lodging in a cellar, and I intend for the next
three months to board at the Mug. I have heard that I may be sure of
lying snug here. Dummie, your health! Give us the baccy."

"I say, Meester Pepper," said Dummie, clearing his throat, when he
had obeyed the request, "can you tell I, if so be you 'as met in your
travels our little Paul? Poor chap! You knows as 'ow and vy he was sent
to quod by Ju