" A FELLOW FEELING MAIvES ONE WONDROUS KIND." 311 



going distances to fairs, when, as I have said, they are 

 not certain of always being able to buy. The thing 

 is managed in this way. In the first place, they 

 rarely fail to find a something to lay their hands on ; 

 and if they do not, they can always pay their expenses 

 by doing a something for respectable dealers which 

 they would not choose to be found doing themselves ; 

 and in this case often get a couple of sovereigns from 

 the dealer for selling some screw for him, and fre- 

 quently a couple more from the buyer for having 

 found one for him : but of course that he is a screw 

 is only found out afterwards ; oftentimes never found 

 out at all, unless a very bad one ; for if he does his 

 work, it is concluded he is sound ; and if in the course 

 of time he cannot, it is supposed that it is something 

 fresh, and the owner only attributes it to ill-luck. 



But we will see how Mr. Rascal can help a brother 

 in iniquity without doing anything very had ; merely 

 in fact giving a little quickener to a sale. These 

 fellows, as I have said, always have their eyes open 

 for a chance, and in a moment know what to do on 

 any occasion. We will suppose he sees a gentleman 

 looking at any one horse in a dealer's lot : he may not 

 have asked any questions about the horse, but our 

 lynx-eyed friend plainly sees he is preparing to do so, 

 or has just done it. Up bustles Eascal to the dealer : 

 " Bob, I want that good horse of yours." Now, by 

 his good he means to imply in a general sense superior, 

 and of course this good would have been equally ap- 

 plied to any other horse among them that had attracted 

 the gentleman's notice. This gives the buyer in 

 prospectu an idea that he has not made a very bad 

 choice Quickener the first : " Well, " says Bob, 



"what d'ye want wi' he?" The at once recognising 



X 4 



