ou, Stagman, hast not a penny in
thy purse--if thou wert ever so much inclined to befriend me."

"Nay, not so fast, friend," replied Stagman; "matters have gone better
with me of late than thou wouldst suppose; and perchance, if thou wilt
listen to me, I can put thee on a way to get quit of this thy
burden!--or, if thou wouldst rather do as I do, to fill thy pockets,
keep thy burden still, and yet dance under it as lightly as if it were
no burden at all."

"Of a truth," said Scapegrace, "I long to hear how these things may be."

"Know then," said Stagman, "that of late all the world have gone crazed
after a new fashion of travelling, or rather flying, discovered by Mr
Ironman, by means of which the traveller reacheth his journey's end ere
he well knoweth that he hath begun it, smoking his pipe, or reading the
newspaper all the way, as he skimmeth along over hills and valleys,
sloughs and morasses."

"These be pleasant tidings," cried Scapegrace.

"And profitable likewise," answered Stagman, "for all that are concerned
in these new highways; for now-a-days none will take the old roads,
which are fast becoming full of ruts and pitfalls, fearful to behold,
and all must soon resort per force to those made by Mr Ironman, who
levieth a heavy toll on all passengers at various wicket-gates which he
hath set up along the road. Now, as Ironman required some friends to
assist him with money in making his roads, he hath formed various goodly
companies, who lend him their money in the mean time, and share
thereafter in the tolls levied from the pilgrims that use the road. If
thou couldst but be joined to one of these companies, as I have been,
thy burden might soon be lighter. And even now there is a new road about
to be begun, which I doubt not would make thee rich in brief space, if
thou wert but a sharer therein."

"Whither goeth this road?" asked Scapegrace.

From the town of LITTLE-GO, by HAP-HAZARD, towards CENT-PER-CENT, and
thence to the great city of ELDORADO," answered Stagman. "Thereafter, if
the traffic answer, we contemplate a branch rail to UTOPIA."

"But methought," said Scapegrace, "that road of which thou speak'st was
full of rocks, and deep pits, and swamps, and quagmires, and other
frightfuls. I do remember me of a certain SLOUGH OF DESPOND, Wherein
Sundry Travellers Were Bemired to purpose, and some hardly escaped with
their lives."

"The Slough of Despond, quotha!" cried Stagman; "a certain man, called