56 CONFESSIONS OF A HOUSE DEALER. 



Bells largely, it is true, and might have taken it in the 

 ordinary course of business. It is dangerous to detain 

 him in custody. He gives his name and address, which, 

 by-the-bye, are often genuine ; and sometimes he really 

 is, m the eyes of the world, a very respectable man, for 

 this is the very thing that blinds the suspicion, if any 

 exists as to this point of his calling, with his own 

 neighbours ; but this dark portion of his business is 

 never practised about his home, but, in most instances, 

 some hundreds of miles away ; he is, however, careful 

 not to pass more than one flash note in a place ; some of 

 the more daring will contrive to pass a fifty-pound 

 counterfeit, when a favourable opportunity offers ; such, 

 for instance, as the " touts " having found out a perscr 

 with more money, or rather more cattle, sheep, or horses, 

 Jhan brains. 



The gang put all their genuine capital into the hands 

 of one for there is honour among thieves who may 

 then be in a position to buy the whole drove of cattle 

 or sheep. The party selected for this bold stroke is the 

 least suspicious-looking man of the lot, and the best 

 judge ; for notwithstanding the profit they get by pay- 

 ing a portion in counterfeit money, it is policy on their 

 part to buy the animals as cheap as possible ; indeed, 

 they frequently leave a flock of sheep, a drove of cattle, 

 or a string of horses, for a very trifling difference of 

 price ; more especially, if, after a little conversation, they 

 ascertain that the seller is a shrewd, wide-awake sort 

 of man, for the smasher, as well as the horse-coper, is 



