our honour not to palm off
paste upon me."

"It is a diamond," said the lady, in an agony of distress,--"the child!"

"A diamond! Here, take the kid," cried Blueskin, slipping the infant
adroitly under her scarf. "And so this is a diamond," added he,
contemplating the brilliant from the hollow of his hand: "it does
sparkle almost as brightly as your ogles. By the by, my dear, I forgot
to ask your name--perhaps you'll oblige me with it now? Hell and the
devil!--gone!"

He looked around in vain. The lady had disappeared.

CHAPTER III.

The Master of the Mint.

Jonathan, meanwhile, having ascertained the parentage of the child from
Wood, proceeded to question him in an under tone, as to the probable
motives of the attempt upon its life; and, though he failed in obtaining
any information on this point, he had little difficulty in eliciting
such particulars of the mysterious transaction as have already been
recounted. When the carpenter concluded his recital, Jonathan was for a
moment lost in reflection.

"Devilish strange!" thought he, chuckling to himself; "queer business!
Capital trick of the cull in the cloak to make another person's brat
stand the brunt for his own--capital! ha! ha! Won't do, though. He must
be a sly fox to get out of the Mint without my knowledge. I've a shrewd
guess where he's taken refuge; but I'll ferret him out. These bloods
will pay well for his capture; if not, _he'll_ pay well to get out of
their hands; so I'm safe either way--ha! ha! Blueskin," he added aloud,
and motioning that worthy, "follow me."

Upon which, he set off in the direction of the entry. His progress,
however, was checked by loud acclamations, announcing the arrival of the
Master of the Mint and his train.

Baptist Kettleby (for so was the Master named) was a "goodly portly man,
and a corpulent," whose fair round paunch bespoke the affection he
entertained for good liquor and good living. He had a quick, shrewd,
merry eye, and a look in which duplicity was agreeably veiled by good
humour. It was easy to discover that he was a knave, but equally easy to
perceive that he was a pleasant fellow; a combination of qualities by no
means of rare occurrence. So far as regards his attire, Baptist was not
seen to advantage. No great lover of state or state costume at any time,
he was generally, towards the close of an evening, completely in
dishabille, and in this condition he now presented himself to his
subjects. His