JOB SWEETY. 77 



" Xo one but a sanguinary perverter of the truth could," 

 returned the stranger. " A hoss like that might be ridden with 

 packthread." 



Puffy Doddles recollected, at this moment, one of the rudi- 

 ments of his early education, to hold his tongue. 



There was an awkward pause. The peg-top figure walked 

 some yards, shoulder to shoulder, with Robert Top's best lad in 

 silence, and kept watching the end of his large, square-toed 

 boots, as they alternately preceded each other, giving his head 

 the monotonous motion of a pendulum, swaying from one side 

 to the other. 



Puffy Doddles felt most uncomfortable, and wished himself 

 anywhere else than shoulder to shoulder with the stranger. 



" I dare say, " observed the peg-top figure, breaking the 

 most awkward silence that Robert Top's best lad ever expe- 

 rienced in the whole course of his stable existence, and con- 

 tinuing to examine his square-toed boots, " that you may have 

 heard of my name, although we never met before 1 " 



Puffy Doddles might have done so, from those unforeseen 

 and unexpected causes called accidents ; but until learning the 

 name by which the peg-top figure was designated from the 

 common herd, it was next to impossible to arrive at any 

 positive decision upon the point. 



" My name is Sweety." 



Puffy Doddles again started, and the shock of the galvanic 

 battery was once more perceptible. 



And there stood, or — for the description to be strictly in 

 accordance with the fact — walked, minutely examining the ends 

 of his toes, Sweety, he who " once got round a certain Matilda, 

 the bit of muslin that nearly ruined all Yorkshire ! " 



" I see that you've heard my name before," resumed the 

 peg-top figure, "Job Sweety." 



"Ye — es," drawled Robert Top's best lad, staring at Job 

 Sweety's pimply countenance ; " I heard it mentioned once." 



"By George Spindles, I suppose?" rejoined Job Sweety. 



