Job seemed too think so too; for without any remark he scraped a bow to the invalid, and quitted the apartment in company with Edward Dixon. CHAPTER V. "O, what authority and show of truth, MIKE CROUCH, Peter Parkins, and Toby, were assembled in secret conclave at the kennel, when the curtains of night were dropped upon the parting day, and all was wrapped in dark ness. Toby, from some motive which baffles explanation, took no part, and seemed to have little interest, in the subject under discussion, for he lay with his nose squeezed between his forepaws, in a position of extreme listlessness. "Strike me lucky!" said Mike, "but matters might have turned out worse. If we'd been found out——' "If we'd been found out!" interrupted the razor-grinder, with a sneer. "Why, then," continued he, "like many other rogues, who pass themselves off for honest men, we should have had to pay the penalty for the discovery." "It makes good the old saying," returned Mike, "of there being 'many a slip between the cup and the lip.' I thought," continued he, "that we were as sure of sharing the swag as if it had been already divided.” "Ah!" sighed Peter Parkins, "its quite surprising how many shadows are seen from substances as difficult to touch as one of those countless buildings erected in the air, called castles. I used to see as many as most folks," said the razor-grinder, emphatically; "but that was a long time ago." "What flam was it that you were going to make Mr. Hardy believe?" asked Mike. "I've dealt in what is called, by the flowerytongued, the ideal-by the coarser, lying-to some extent in my life," replied Peter; “but I never, in the whole course of my experience, had got up a finer sample of fiction, with all the shades of truth, than the one I was prepared to gull your best earthly friend with, Mike." "Its a great pity," said the earth-stopper, with an air of vexation, "that the fruit should have dropped before it was ripe. What were you going to say?" "Oh!" returned his companion, carelessly, "by way of introduction, I was going through the details of the Peninsular war, the storming of St. Sebastian, and a few trifling matters of that kind. In one of our terrific and bloody engagements—the storming of some town, the name of which has escaped my memory-I rescued from impending destruction - the house, if I recollect rightly, was on fire-an extremely beautiful and interesting young female. Sharing with me my rations and my dangers, she accompanied me throughout the campaign. In the dreary night, when a sen tinel in the outposts, this faithful girl crept unperceived to my side, and during the long and gloomy watch, guarded me like a protecting angel under the shadow of her wings." "Or her petticoats," said Mike, with a laugh. "Either would have been quite as true," resumed Peter Parkins. "I then, after dwelling greatly on her spirit and virtue, should have added, that upon the proclamation of peace, I received my discharge, but unfortunately not getting a sabre cut, wound from a bullet, loss of a joint, or harm of any kind in the service of my country, I did not have a pension bestowed upon me. Upon reaching my native shore, nothing but poverty stared me in the face. Scorning, however, all selfish consideration, I immediately led my gazelle of the de sert-" "What's that," inquired Mike. "You don't understand the value of fine names, Mike," replied the razor-grinder. "I |