150 DUPE 



" There — they are yours." 



The bricklayer turned his eyes up to heaven in utter 

 astonishment, and invoked God's blessing upon his 

 supposed benefactor. I was about to denounce his 

 trifling with the man's feelings, but determined to see 

 the end of it, as I suspected some dishonest design. 



"You have no objection to give me an acknowledg- 

 ment for it P " 



" Oh, no, sir. You shall have my handwriting, and I 

 am to have yours." 



'* Exactly so. \yhen we get to Iloddesdon you shall 

 have it." 



At Hoddesdon we soon arrived, when the schemer, 

 turning round to his dupe, wlio had got his purse or 

 pocket-book out to pay me his fare, said, " You must 

 give me eighteen-pence to purchase the stamp." He 

 deliberately put his finger and thumb in and took out 

 one shilling and a sixpence. " Xow come Avith me," he 

 added. He then led him into a back room, saying to 

 the landlady as he passed the bar, " Give that poor man 

 a pint of beer," desiring him at the same time to remain 

 there Avhile lie went to get the stamp. He now came 

 chuckling to me with the one shilling and sixpence in 

 his hand, exclaiming, — 



" There, Mr. Coachman — that is more than you have 

 earned this morning." 



" Yes," I said, for I could no longer contain my 

 detestation of his knavish trick ; " and if you do not 

 immediately return it, you shall not proceed with me." 



" Don't be a fool," he cried, half in earnest. 



'Tool or not," I replied, " I do not stir from this till 



