of　a　toad；　and　the　expression　of　her　countenance　was　particularly
  evil；　her　arms　were　bare；　and　her　bosom　was　but　half　concealed　by　a
  slight　bodice；　below　which　she　wore　a　coarse　petticoat；　her　only
  other　article　of　dress。　　The　man　was　somewhat　younger；　but　of　a
  figure　equally　wild；　his　frame　was　long　and　lathy；　but　his　arms
  were　remarkably　short；　his　neck　was　rather　bent；　he　squinted
  slightly；　and　his　mouth　was　much　awry；　his　complexion　was　dark；
  but；　unlike　that　of　the　woman；　was　more　ruddy　than　livid；　there　was
  a　deep　scar　on　his　cheek；　something　like　the　impression　of　a
  halfpenny。　　The　dress　was　quite　in　keeping　with　the　figure：　　in　his
  hat；　which　was　slightly　peaked；　was　stuck　a　peacock's　feather；　over
  a　waistcoat　of　hide；　untanned　and　with　the　hair　upon　it；　he　wore　a
  rough　jerkin　of　russet　hue；　smallclothes　of　leather；　which　had
  probably　once　belonged　to　a　soldier；　but　with　which　pipeclay　did
  not　seem　to　have　come　in　contact　for　many　a　year；　protected　his
  lower　man　as　far　as　the　knee；　his　legs　were　cased　in　long　stockings
  of　blue　worsted；　and　on　his　shoes　he　wore　immense　old…fashioned
  buckles。
  Such　were　the　two　beings　who　now　came　rushing　upon　me；　the　man　was
  rather　in　advance；　brandishing　a　ladle　in　his　hand。
  'So　I　have　caught　you　at　last；'　said　he；　'I'll　teach　ye；　you　young
  highwayman；　to　come　skulking　about　my　properties！'
  Young　as　I　was；　I　remarked　that　his　manner　of　speaking　was
  different　from　that　of　any　people　with　whom　I　had　been　in　the　habit
  of　associating。　　It　was　quite　as　strange　as　his　appearance；　and　yet
  it　nothing　resembled　the　foreign　English　which　I　had　been　in　the
  habit　of　hearing　through　the　palisades　of　the　prison；　he　could
  scarcely　be　a　foreigner。
  'Your　properties！'　said　I；　'I　am　in　the　King's　Lane。　　Why　did　you
  put　them　there；　if　you　did　not　wish　them　to　be　seen？'
  'On　the　spy；'　said　the　woman；　'hey？　　I'll　drown　him　in　the　sludge
  in　the　toad…pond　over　the　hedge。'
  'So　we　will；'　said　the　man；　'drown　him　anon　in　the　mud！'
  'Drown　me；　will　you？'　said　I；　'I　should　like　to　see　you！　　What's
  all　this　about？　　Was　it　because　I　saw　you　with　your　hands　full　of
  straw　plait；　and　my　mother　there　…　'
  'Yes；'　said　the　woman；　'what　was　I　about？'
  MYSELF。　　How　should　I　know？　　Making　bad　money；　perhaps！
  And　it　will　be　as　well　here　to　observe；　that　at　this　time　there　was
  much　bad　money　in　circulation　in　the　neighbourhood；　generally
  supposed　to　be　fabricated　by　the　prisoners；　so　that　this　false　coin
  and　straw　plait　formed　the　standard　subjects　of　conversation　at
  Norman　Cross。
  'I'll　strangle　thee；'　said　the　beldame；　dashing　at　me。　　'Bad　money；
  is　it？'
  'Leave　him　to　me；　wifelkin；'　said　the　man；　interposing；　'you　shall
  now　see　how　I'll　baste　him　down　the　lane。'
  MYSELF。　　I　tell　you　what；　my　chap；　you　had　better　put　down　that
  thing　of　yours；　my　father　lies　concealed　within　my　tepid　breast；
  and　if　to　me　you　offer　any　harm　or　wrong；　I'll　call　him　forth　to
  help　me　with　his　forked　tongue。
  MAN。　　What　do　you　mean；　ye　Bengui's　bantling？　　I　never　heard　such
  discourse　in　all　my　life：　　playman's　speech　or　Frenchman's　talk　…
  which；　I　wonder？　　Your　father！　　Tell　the　mumping　villain　that　if　he
  comes　near　my　fire　I'll　serve　him　out　as　I　will　you。　　Take　that　…
  Tiny　Jesus！　what　have　we　got　here？　　Oh；　delicate　Jesus！　what　is　the
  matter　with　the　child？
  I　had　made　a　motion　which　the　viper　understood；　and　now；　partly
  disengaging　itself　from　my　bosom；　where　it　had　lain　perdu；　it
  raised　its　head　to　a　level　with　my　face；　and　stared　upon　my　enemy
  with　its　glittering　eyes。
  The　man　stood　like　one　transfixed；　and　the　ladle；　with　which　he　had
  aimed　a　blow　at　me；　now　hung　in　the　air　like　the　hand　which　held
  it；　his　mouth　was　extended；　and　his　cheeks　became　of　a　pale　yellow；
  save　alone　that　place　which　bore　the　mark　which　I　have　already
  described；　and　this　shone　now　portentously；　like　fire。　　He　stood　in
  this　manner　for　some　time；　at　last　the　ladle　fell　from　his　hand；
  and　its　falling　appeared　to　rouse　him　from　his　stupor。
  'I　say；　wifelkin；'　said　he；　in　a　faltering　tone；　'did　you　ever　see
  the　like　of　this　here？'
  But　the　woman　had　retreated　to　the　tent；　from　the　entrance　of　which
  her　loathly　face　was　now　thrust；　with　an　expression　partly　of
  terror　and　partly　of　curiosity。　　After　gazing　some　time　longer　at
  the　viper　and　myself；　the　man　stooped　down　and　took　up　the　ladle；
  then；　as　if　somewhat　more　assured；　he　moved　to　the　tent；　where　he
  entered　into　conversation　with　the　beldame　in　a　low　voice。　　Of
  their　discourse；　though　I　could　hear　the　greater　part　of　it；　I
  understood　not　a　single　word；　and　I　wondered　what　it　could　be；　for
  I　knew　by　the　sound　that　it　was　not　French。　　At　last　the　man；　in　a
  somewhat　louder　tone；　appeared　to　put　a　question　to　the　woman；　who
  nodded　her　head　affirmatively；　and　in　a　moment　or　two　produced　a
  small　stool；　which　she　delivered　to　him。　　He　placed　it　on　the
  ground；　close　by　the　door　of　the　tent；　first　rubbing　it　with　his
  sleeve；　as　if　for　the　purpose　of　polishing　its　surface。
  MAN。　　Now；　my　precious　little　gentleman；　do　sit　down　here　by　the
  poor　people's　tent；　we　wish　to　be　civil　in　our　slight　way。　　Don't
  be　angry；　and　say　no；　but　look　kindly　upon　us；　and　satisfied；　my
  precious　little　God　Almighty。
  WOMAN。　　Yes；　my　gorgeous　angel；　sit　down　by　the　poor　bodies'　fire；
  and　eat　a　sweetmeat。　　We　want　to　ask　you　a　question　or　two；　only
  first　put　that　serpent　away。
  MYSELF。　　I　can　sit　down；　and　bid　the　serpent　go　to　sleep；　that's
  easy　enough；　but　as　for　eating　a　sweetmeat；　how　can　I　do　that？　　I
  have　not　got　one；　and　where　am　I　to　get　it？
  WOMAN。　　Never　fear；　my　tiny　tawny；　we　can　give　you　one；　such　as　you
  never　ate；　I　daresay；　however　far　you　may　have　come　from。
  The　serpent　sank　into　its　usual　resting…place；　and　I　sat　down　on
  the　stool。　　The　woman　opened　a　box；　and　took　out　a　strange　little
  basket　or　hamper；　not　much　larger　than　a　man's　fist；　and　formed　of
  a　delicate　kind　of　matting。　　It　was　sewed　at　the　top；　but；　ripping
  it　open　with　a　knife；　she　held　it　to　me；　and　I　saw；　to　my　surprise；
  that　it　contained　candied　fruits　of　a　dark　green　hue；　tempting
  enough　to　one　of　my　age。　　'There；　my　tiny；'　said　she；　'taste；　and
  tell　me　how　you　like　them。'
  'Very　much；'　said　I；　'where　did　you　get　them？'
  The　beldame　leered　upon　me　for　a　moment；　then；　nodding　her　head
  thrice；　with　a　knowing　look；　said；　'Who　knows　better　than　yourself；
  my　tawny？'
  Now；　I　knew　nothing　about　the　matter；　but　I　saw　that　these　strange
  people　had　conceived　a　very　high　opinion　of　the　abilities　of　their
  visitor；　which　I　was　nothing　loth　to　encourage。　　I　therefore
  answered　boldly；　'Ah！　who　indeed！'
  'Certainly；'　said　the　man；　'who　should　know　better　than　yourself；
  or　so　well？　　And　now；　my　tiny　one；　let　me　ask　you　one　thing　…　you
  didn't　come　to　do　us　any　harm？'
  'No；'　said　I；　'I　had　no　dislike　to　you；　though；　if　you　were　to
  meddle　with　me　…　'
  MAN。　　Of　course；　my　gorgeous；　of　course　you　would；　and　quite　right
  too。　　Meddle　with　you！　…　what　right　have　we？　　I　should　say；　it
  would　not　be　quite　safe。　　I　see　how　it　is；　you　are　one　of　them
  there；　…　and　he　bent　his　head　towards　his　left　shoulder。
  MYSELF。　　Yes；　I　am　one　of　them　…　for　I　thought　he　was　alluding　to
  the　soldiers；　…　you　had　best　mind　what　you　are　about；　I　can　tell
  you。
  MAN。　　Don't　doubt　we　will　for　our　own　sake；　Lord　bless　you；
  wifelkin；　only　think　that　we　should　see　one　of　them　there　when　we
  least　thought　about　it。　　Well；　I　have　heard　of　such　things；　though
  I　never　thought　to　see　one；　however；　seeing　is　believing。　　Well！
  now　you　are　come；　and　are　not　going　to　do　us　any　mischief；　I　hope
  you　will　stay；　you　can　do　us　plenty　of　good　if　you　will。
  MYSELF。　　What　good　could　I　do　you？
  MAN。　　What　good？　plenty！　　Would　you　not　bring　us　luck？　　I　have
  heard　say　that　one　of　them　there　always　does；　if　it　will　but　settle
  down。　　Stay　with　us；　you　shall　have　a　tilted　cart　all　to　yourself
  if　you　like。　　We'll　make　you　our　little　God　Almighty；　and　say　our
  prayers　to　you　every　morning！
  MYSELF。　　That　would　be　nice；　and；　if　you　were　to　give　me　plenty　of
  these　things；　I　should　have　no　objection。　　But　what　would　my　father
  say？　　I　think　he　would　hardly　let　me。
  MAN。　　Why　not？　he　would　be　with　you；　and　kindly　would　we　treat　him。
  Indeed；　without　your　father　you　would　be　nothing　at　all。
  MYSELF。　　That's　true；　but　I　do　not　think　he　could　be　spared　from
  his　regiment。　　I　have　heard　him　say　that　they　could　do　nothing
  without　him。
  MAN。　　His　regiment！　　What　are　you　talking　about？　…　what　does　the
  child　mean？
  MYSELF。　　What　do　I　mean！　…　why；　that　my　father　is　an　officer…man　at
  the　barracks　yonder；　keeping　guard　over　the　French　prisoners。
  MAN。　　Oh！　then　that　sap　is　not　your　father？
  MYSELF。　　W