'I never set it on fire at all,'
said the jockey; 'I set this on fire,' showing us a piece of half-burnt
calico. 'I placed this calico above it, and lighted not the
handkerchief, but the rag. Now, I will show you something else. I have
a magic shilling in my pocket, which I can make run up along my arm.
But, first of all, I would gladly know whether either of you can do the
like.' Thereupon the Hungarian and myself, putting our hands into our
pockets, took out shillings, and endeavoured to make them run up our
arms, but utterly failed; both shillings, after we had made two or three
attempts, falling to the ground. 'What noncomposses you both are,' said
the jockey; and, placing a shilling on the end of the fingers of his
right hand, he made strange faces to it, drawing back his head, whereupon
the shilling instantly began to run up his arm, occasionally hopping and
jumping as if it were bewitched, always endeavouring to make towards the
head of the jockey.

'How do I do that?' said he, addressing himself to me. 'I really do not
know,' said I, 'unless it is by the motion of your arm.' 'The motion of
my nonsense,' said the jockey, and, making a dreadful grimace, the
shilling hopped upon his knee, and began to run up his thigh and to climb
his breast. 'How is that done?' said he again. 'By witchcraft, I
suppose,' said I. 'There you are right,' said the jockey; 'by the
withcraft of one of Miss Berners' hairs; the end of one of her long hairs
is tied to that shilling by means of a hole in it, and the other end goes
round my neck by means of a loop; so that, when I draw back my head, the
shilling follows it. I suppose you wish to know how I got the hair,'
said he, grinning at me. 'I will tell you. I once, in the course of my
ridings, saw Miss Berners beneath a hedge, combing out her long hair,
and, being rather a modest kind of person, what must I do but get off my
horse, tie him to a gate, go up to her, and endeavour to enter into
conversation with her. After giving her the sele of the day, and
complimenting her on her hair, I asked her to give me one of the threads;
whereupon she gave me such a look, and, calling me fellow, told me to
take myself off. "I must have a hair first," said I, making a snatch at
one. I believe I hurt her; but, whether I did or not, up she started,
and, though her hair was unbound, gave me the only drubbing I ever had in
my life. Lor! how, with her right hand, she fibbed me whilst sh