400 A VERACIOUS BONIFACE. 



little cray-fish, home. By the splitting of the stone, how 

 ever, I obtained a beautiful piece of dog's-tooth spar, 

 which was very well worth having. 



By this time hunger told me that it was time for lun 

 cheon, so I proceeded to the Clifton Hotel, and after lunch 

 showed my stone mullet to mine host ; he had a room of 

 similar collections. 



" Good gracious ! " cried this veracious Boniface ; 

 "well, sir, you have been lucky! What would I not 

 have given to have been the fortunate finder of such a 

 treasure as that ; good gracious ! it is worth twenty 

 pounds. But pooh, you would not take twice that sum 

 for it." 



In return for this beautiful " gammon," I quietly re 

 marked, " I like the specimen much. Is it really in your 

 honest opinion worth twenty pounds ? " 



" Worth twenty pounds, sir," he cried, in feigned ex 

 citement, and, calling to smartened-up barmaids to back 

 him with their blandishments, " Look here, my dears, I 

 should be glad to give this gentleman twenty pounds for 

 this specimen ; but, oh, no, I am sure he would not take it." 



" There you are mistaken/' I replied ; " perhaps I can 

 find another ; and as my heart is so opened by the beau 

 tiful things I have seen, and I wish to do you a kindness, 

 and make it even better than your own bargain, give me 

 ten pounds and the specimen is yours." 



I never saw a man look more foolish, as he hurried 

 away, saying, "No, 110, no. I'm sure you won't take it." 

 " Yes, I will," I said ; "if you will give it. Nay, more ; 

 so great is my wish to do a kind thing, you shall have it 

 for five," when my offers were cut short by his plunging 

 down a side-door or trap, where I thought it useless to 

 follow him. 



