A CHEAT. 115 



who gloried in showing himself an accom- 

 plished villain. 



The first time I saw him, he had seated 

 himself on the roof in Bishopsgate Street, 

 while I had gone up to the office in the 

 yard for my way-bill. On my return a 

 neighbour told me who he was, and gave 

 me a short outline of his antecedents, 

 which were not very flattering ; but they 

 were not unknown in this vicinity. It 

 was his common practice, I found, to 

 cheat every one he could, and he at- 

 tempted a fraud on me that morning. 

 When I asked him for the fare, he said 

 he would pay at Downham ; arrived here, 

 he promised the fare when we arrived at 

 Cambridge ; but, on my insisting that he 

 should either pay or get down, he chose 

 the former. 



This man was a great annoyance to me, 

 although I did not let him see this. He 

 would always sit beside me when he could, 



i2 



