nging, some shouting, and some laughing. Well, after three
minutes, I felt that the task was much more difficult than I had
expected; but yet I went on, till I heard somebody saying, "As I am
alive, there is Miss Reynolds walking arm in arm with that lucky dog,
Jenkins." Now you must know, landlord, that Miss Reynolds was my
sweetheart, and Jenkins my greatest enemy, so I rushed to the window to
see if it was true, and at that moment a roar of laughter announced to
me that I had lost the bet.'

"Now Slick Bradley, as I have said, was very fond of betting. Moreover,
he prided himself not a little upon his self-command, and as he had not
any mistress to be jealous of, as soon as the gentleman had finished his
story, he came at once to the point.

"`Well,' said he, `you lost the wager, but it don't signify. I think
myself, as you did, that it is the easiest thing in the world. I am
sure I could do it half an hour, aye, and an hour too.'

"The gentlemen laughed, and said they knew better, and the now-excited
host proposed, if the liberty did not offend them, to make any bet that
he could do it for half an hour. At first they objected, under the plea
that they would not like to win his money, as they were certain he had
no chance, but upon his insisting, they consented to bet twenty dollars;
and Slick, putting himself face to face with his great grandfather's
clock, began following the pendulum with his hand, repeating `Here she
goes, there she goes.'

"The two gentlemen discovered many wonderful things through the window:
first a sailor had murdered a woman, next the stage had just capsized,
and afterwards they were sure that the shop next door was on fire.
Slick winked and smiled complacently, without leaving his position. He
was too old a fox to be taken by such childish tricks. All at once,
Number 2 observed to Number 1, that the bet would not keep good, as the
stakes had not been laid down, and both addressed the host at the same
time. `Not cunning enough for me,' thought Slick, and poking his left
hand into the right pocket of his waistcoat, he took out his pocket-book
containing the larger notes, and handed it to his customers.

"`Now,' exclaimed Number 2 to his companion, `I am sure you will lose
the wager; the fellow is imperturbable; nothing can move him.'

"`Wait a bit; I'll soon make him leave off,' whispered the other, loud
enough for Slick to hear him.

"`Landlord,' continued he, `we trust to yo