" GOING WITH A WET SAIL." 377 



knew : so a bungler would have made no preparations 

 for any contretemps that might occur ; when, as will 

 be seen, there would have been, as sailors say, " the 

 devil to pay, and no pitch hot :" but let what could 

 occur, Nickem was, like Lothario, u equal to both, and 

 armed for either field." The horse was reported sold : 

 the gentleman came for the balance of his sixty 

 pounds : now, though the keep and commission came 

 to a round sum, Nickem thought, as the gentleman 

 was going away, he might as well try for a pound or 

 two more : so says, " I was forced, Sir, to a little 

 exceed your directions, but I thought you would not 

 like to lose the sale of your horse for two pounds ; so 

 I took fifty-eight: if you object to it, it shall be im- 

 mediately taken out of my commission, as of course I 

 had no right to exceed your orders ; but I did for the 

 best." The gentleman, with the liberality of one, 

 replies, " Oh no, Mr. Nickem ; I do not wish that ; pay 

 me the balance, and I am satisfied : you were quite 

 right, as I must go this afternoon." So far nothing 

 could be better. If the gentleman was satisfied, 

 Nickem was perfectly so : and thus we may suppose 

 the matter concluded. We have seen how Nickem 

 has behaved, and acquitted himself while it was all 

 fair weather: let us now see how presence of mind 

 and properly-taken precaution will serve him when a 

 storm seems likely to burst on his devoted head. 



The gentleman, having started on his journey, while 

 they were changing horses at the first stage, happened 

 to see another on his lately sold nag, and, as a man 

 naturally might do, went up to his old servant, patted 

 him, and said to the rider, " You have bought a horse 

 lately mine : I congratulate you on your purchase ; he 

 is an excellent horse : I am glad to see him in such 



