270 RANGE OF APPRENTICESHIP 



figs about your silver, you have no such thing, for I have searched 

 both your pockets ; if you had it, you have lost it, and I hope 

 you will always do so, if to get silver is to make one so miser- 

 able. This expression startled me; I trembled hand-fast. 

 ' Lost my money 1 ' I exclaimed. * There is nothing in your 

 pockets but your handkerchief, and a bit of the child's biscuit,' 

 said Peggy. * What ! ' so placing my hand with violence 

 against my side, I felt the bag. Dear, dear, dear, this last 

 feeling was more severe than any former, for I shook so fast 

 and so long, that my own baby might have knocked me down. 

 ^' My next concern was as touching the contents of the bag. 

 I begged Peggy to lock the door, lest any of the neighbours 

 might come up. * You have nothing to fear from your neigh- 

 bours,^ said she — * look at the time.* Looking at the clock, 

 * there,' remarked Mr. C, pointing to it, *is the same old clock,' 

 I found the hour nearly two, late, or rather early enough you 

 may suppose to seek rest; but I was eager to know the contents 

 of the bag, and prepared for it, by putting the things off the table 

 and laying thereon a drugget, to prevent the noise of money. I 

 had scarcely effected so much, when I fancied that I heard foot- 

 steps, and these becoming plainer and plainer I hurried up my 

 bag, placed it into my side pocket, and stood with the candle in 

 my hand listening by the door. At length, all doubt removed, I 

 called out, who is there?' * It is only I, Mr. C. hearing foot- 

 steps over-head, father thought something was amiss, and 

 begged I would get up and see.' * I am much obliged Mrs. 

 Strap,' said I, ' nothing is amiss, I thank you, 1 have been into 

 the country to day, and am just come home.' * Oh ! I be so 

 glad,' said poor Mrs. Strap, ' father and I shall sleep happily 

 now.' This good old creature was the wife of Mr. Strap the 

 tailor, who had apartments on the floor under us; and as kind 

 neighbours they were as could possibly live. 



" This over, I again prepared to examine my bag. When I 

 found its contents were guineas I was all eagerness to count 

 them. I hit upon one plan, which was to go to bed and put 

 the candle out, then give my wife the bag and count them into 

 my night cap, and by way of proving the sum to recount them 

 into the bag. In this plan [ was however opposed. She re- 

 marked, and 1 think very justly, that from the feverish state in 

 which I then was, a cold might follow; and as I had once se- 

 verely suffered from a chill, I readily agreed with her that the 

 best plan would be to place the bag in a comer of our bureau 

 drawer, and await the morning to ascertain the number. Having 

 decided upon this, I prepared to lay me down to sleep, which 

 my fatigue courted but vvhich my newly-gotten wealth dispelled, 

 and I had not long meditated on a nap, before I heard an uproar 

 in the street. Voices were loud, but indistinct, yet on nearer 

 approach the conversatiou of the parties was audible. I now 

 heard my brother Luke's voice. * Why Tim lives in that rooni 



