MR. JAMES SLOPER. 11 



clearly was on the point of delivering — " and inform you of a 

 few things you are not to do." 



" Thank you, sir," returned Puffy Doddles ; " I shall pay 

 partickler attention." 



" No tricks with 'osses, recollect." 



Puffy Doddles earnestly declared "that such a wickedness 

 had never entered his thoughts since the hour of his birth, 

 which he had been led to believe took place over a stable fifteen 

 year' ago come next Lady-day." 



" No scamping with your fellow lads," continued Mr. James 

 Sloper, without noticing the evidently honest protestation of 

 innocence in reference to the introductory caution. 



Puffy Doddles expressed a constitutional aversion to " scamp- 

 mg. 



u No shirking o' your work," resumed Mr. James Sloper, 

 with a demeanour approaching the austere. 



■Puffy Doddles " could hardly expect, perhaps, to be believed; 

 but still truth ivas truth, and he could look anybody in the 

 face and say he loved his work better than his play." 



A smile, expressive of some amount of incredulity upon this 

 point, spread itself over the wan features of Mr. James Sloper, 

 and entertaining the fear, perhaps, that the very favourable 

 account given by Puffy Doddles of himself might reach a 

 fabulous extreme if continued, he conveyed his desire, by a 

 significant movement of a hand, that the interview should 

 terminate at this period of their acquaintanceship, and waved 

 him from the room. 



As one of the principal actors in the scenes associated with 

 the sayings and doings of Puffy Doddles, his new master shall 

 now be sketched as he stood, apparently listening to the footfall, 

 gradually becoming indistinct, of the young additional retainer, 

 to the Great Stable of the North, on his way to a preliminary 

 interview with the head lad of that establishment, George 

 Spindles. 



Mr. James Sloper measured five feet eight inches and, a half 



