THE MONEY COINERS. 121 



hauled him. Soon, however, I was laughing 

 the wrong side of the mouth, for, stopping a 

 second, he whipped off his slippers or low shoes 

 and then ran from me just like a greyhound. 

 I never saw a man run so fast, he simply flew 

 up the lane to the Devil's Den, as if I were 

 standing still. After he had disappeared and 

 I was standing still staring helplesly at nothing, 

 the shepherd and constable came up. "Well, 

 have you got him ? where is he ?" they asked. 

 "I should be very much obliged if you could 

 tell me," said I, " for I have clean lost him. 

 But where's your two ? " " Oh ! they were over 

 the hedge and across the field, before we could 

 look round." Whilst we were talking we spied 

 two of the men, a quarter of a mile away, on 

 the other side of the hill, waiting for the man 

 in the pilot coat, who was walking leisurely up 

 to join them. They all three stood still looking 

 at us, taking off their hats, and beckoning 

 us to come on. We beckoned them to come 

 to us, but they evinced no disposition to 

 do so, and we then gave them a parting 

 salute of a satirical nature, which they returned ; 



