ice was what a
brother dealer, who happened to be trading in the same neighbourhood,
pronounced "onconscionably low." We took a comfortable state-room
between us, under the pretence of locking-up our property, and strolled
about the boat, gaping and looking curious, as became our class.

"Here are at least a dozen people that I know," said my uncle, as we
were lounging around--loafing around, is the modern Doric--about the
time that the boat was paddling past Fort Washington; "I have
reconnoitred in all quarters, and find quite a dozen. I have been
conversing with an old school-fellow, and one with whom I have ever
lived in tolerable intimacy, for the last ten minutes, and find my
broken English and disguise are perfect. I am confident my dear mother
herself would not recognise me."

"We can then amuse ourselves with my grandmother and the young ladies,"
I answered, "when we reach the Nest. For my part, it strikes me that we
had better keep our own secret to the last moment."

"Hush! As I live, there is Seneca Newcome this moment! He is coming this
way, and we must be Germans again."

Sure enough, there was 'Squire Seneky, as the honest farmers around the
Nest call him; though many of them must change their practices, or it
will shortly become so absurd to apply the term "honest" to them, that
no one will have the hardihood to use it. Newcome came slowly towards
the forecastle, on which we were standing; and my uncle determined to
get into conversation with him, as a means of further proving the virtue
of our disguises, as well as possibly of opening the way to some
communications that might facilitate our visit to the Nest. With this
view, the pretended pedlar drew a watch from his pocket, and, offering
it meekly to the inspection of the quasi lawyer, he said--

"Puy a vatch, shentlemans?"

"Hey! what? Oh! a watch," returned Seneca, in that high, condescending,
vulgar key, with which the salt of the earth usually affect to treat
those they evidently think much beneath them in intellect, station, or
some other great essential, at the very moment they are bursting with
envy, and denouncing as aristocrats all who are above them. "Hey! a
watch, is it? What countryman are you, friend?"

"A Charmans--ein Teutscher."

"A German--ine Tycher is the place you come from, I s'pose?"

"Nein--ein Teutscher isht a Charman."

"Oh, yes! I understand. How long have you been in Ameriky?"

"Twelf moont's."

"Why, that's mos