300 CATCHING A WEASEL ASLEEP. 



gentleman " lie hopes he'll remember his man ; says 

 the rule is a gentleman gives double what the dealer 

 gives." The man gets five shillings, half of which 

 goes to the master. Thus this and many other horses 

 are sold, and this is often the result of people unac- 

 customed to such places going to fairs to sell their 

 own horses. They are detected at once by such vaga- 

 bonds as I have described : a regular plant is made 

 on them, and they are legally robbed of their property, 

 or at least something very near it. 



A man who may read what I have described may 

 say he would not be so green as to be done in that 

 way. Probably he might not, but there are hiuidreds 

 who Avould ; and it is still possible^ that, had the 

 gentleman not read what I have written on the sub- 

 ject, he might, notwithstanding his confidence in him- 

 self, have been done precisely in such a manner. 

 Having had the plot laid bare to him, he thinks it 

 would never have succeeded with liim. This cannot 

 be proved ; so it only remains a matter of opinion 

 between him and me : and though our opinions in this 

 differ, if I have put him a little on his guard for the 

 future, I have, I feel, done him some service, though 

 he thinks, that, like weasels, he was not to be caught 

 asleep. But let me tell him, there are some nice lads 

 among the low-dealing fraternity, and perhaps simple- 

 looking ones too, who would even take the above- 

 named watchful animal dozing. I have only men- 

 tioned one among the thousand modes of doing the 

 provincials, and I should like to bet any wide-awake 

 friend long odds that if he goes into a fair they will 

 find a moment to catch him napping. When they 

 have, he will perhaps wish he htid taken Harry Hie'- 



