nting-house,
or behind the counter; he is never out of his post.

'And then for my other servants, the younger apprentices,' says he, 'it
is all one as if I were there myself--they would be idle it may be, but
he won't let them, I assure you; they must stick close to it, or he will
make them do it; he tells them, boys do not come apprentices to play,
but to work; not to sit idle, and be doing nothing, but to mind their
master's business, that they may learn how to do their own.'

'Very well; and you think, Sir, this young man being so much in the
shop, and so diligent and faithful, is an estate to you, and so indeed
it is; but are your customers as well pleased with this man, too, as you
are? or are they as well pleased with him, as they would be, if you were
there yourself?'

'Yes, they are,' says the shopkeeper; 'nay, abundance of the customers
take him for the master of the shop, and don't know any other; and he is
so very obliging, and pleases so well, giving content to every body,
that, if I am at any other part of the shop, and see him serving a
customer, I never interrupt them, unless sometimes (he is so modest) he
will call me, and turning to the ladies say, "There's my master, Madam;
if you think he will abate you any thing, I'll call him;" and sometimes
they will look a little surprised, and say, "Is that your master?
indeed, we thought you had been the master of the shop yourself."'

'Well,' said I, 'and you think yourself very happy in all this, don't
you? Pray, how long has this young gentleman to serve? how long is it
before his time will be out?' 'Oh, he has almost a year and a half to
serve,' says the shopkeeper. 'I hope, then,' said I, 'you will take care
to have him knocked on the head, as soon as his time is out.' 'God
forbid,' says the honest man; 'what do you mean by that?' 'Mean!' said
I, 'why, if you don't, he will certainly knock your trade on the head,
as soon as the year and a half comes to be up. Either you must dispose
of him, as I say, or take care that he does not set up near you, no, not
in the same street; if you do, your customers will all run thither. When
they miss him in the shop, they will presently inquire for him; and as,
you say, they generally take him for the master, they will ask whether
the gentleman is removed that kept the shop before.'

All my shopkeeper could say, was, that he had got a salve for that sore,
and that was, that when Timothy was out of his time, he resolv