anity, and made him feel of more consequence than before. In a
little while, he told his secret to one and another, and it was pretty
generally believed that Doctor Grimes had gone away under a sense of
mortification at the storekeeper's practical joke.

"Look out for next year," said one and another. "If Doctor Grimes isn't
even with you then, it'll be a wonder."

"It will take a brighter genius than he is to fool me," Bunting would
usually reply to these words of caution.

The First of April came round again. Thomas Bunting was wide awake. He
expected to hear from the doctor, who, he was certain, would never
forgive him. Sure enough, with the day, came a letter from New York.

"You don't fool me!" said Bunting, as he glanced at the postmark. He
had heard that the doctor was in, or somewhere near, the city.

"Ha! ha!" he laughed, as he read--

"If Mr. Thomas Bunting will call on Messrs. Wilde & Lyon, Pearl Street,
New York, he may hear of something to his advantage."

"Ha! ha! That's capital! The doctor is a wag. Ha! ha!"

Of course, Bunting was too wide awake for this trap. Catch him trudging
to New York on a fool's errand!

"Does he think I haven't cut my eye-teeth?" he said to himself
exultingly, as he read over the letter. "Doctor Grimes don't know this
child--he don't."

And yet, the idea that something might be lost by not heeding the
letter, came stealing in upon him, and checking in a small degree the
delight he felt at being too smart for the doctor. But this thought was
instantly pushed aside. Of course, Bunting was not so "green," to use
one of his favourite words, as to go on a fool's errand to New York.

Five or six months afterward, Bunting, while in the city on business,
happened to meet Doctor Grimes.

"How are you, doctor?" said he, grasping the hand of the physician, and
smiling with one of the smiles peculiar to his face when he felt that
he had played off a capital joke on somebody.

"I'm well, Mr. Bunting. And how are you?" replied the doctor.

"First-rate--first-rate!" and Bunting rubbed his hands. Then he added,
with almost irrepressible glee--

"You wasn't sharp enough, last April, doctor."

"Why so?" inquired Doctor Grimes.

"You didn't succeed in getting me to the city on a fool's errand."

"I don't understand you, Mr. Bunting," said the doctor seriously.

"Wilde & Lyon, Pearl Street--something to my advantage. Ha?"

The doctor looked puzzled.

"You needn't play the in