MAN。　　Oh！　then　that　sap　is　not　your　father？
  MYSELF。　　What；　the　snake？　　Why；　no！　　Did　you　think　he　was？
  MAN。　　To　be　sure　we　did。　　Didn't　you　tell　me　so？
  MYSELF。　　Why；　yes；　but　who　would　have　thought　you　would　have
  believed　it？　　It　is　a　tame　one。　　I　hunt　vipers；　and　tame　them。
  MAN。　　O…h！
  'O…h！'　grunted　the　woman；　'that's　it；　is　it？'
  The　man　and　woman；　who　during　this　conversation　had　resumed　their
  former　positions　within　the　tent；　looked　at　each　other　with　a　queer
  look　of　surprise；　as　if　somewhat　disconcerted　at　what　they　now
  heard。　　They　then　entered　into　discourse　with　each　other　in　the
  same　strange　tongue　which　had　already　puzzled　me。　　At　length　the
  man　looked　me　in　the　face；　and　said；　somewhat　hesitatingly；　'So　you
  are　not　one　of　them　there　after　all？'
  MYSELF。　　One　of　them　there？　　I　don't　know　what　you　mean。
  MAN。　　Why；　we　have　been　thinking　you　were　a　goblin　…　a　devilkin！
  However；　I　see　how　it　is：　　you　are　a　sap…engro；　a　chap　who　catches
  snakes；　and　plays　tricks　with　them！　　Well；　it　comes　very　nearly　to
  the　same　thing；　and　if　you　please　to　list　with　us；　and　bear　us
  pleasant　company；　we　shall　be　glad　of　you。　　I'd　take　my　oath　upon
  it；　that　we　might　make　a　mort　of　money　by　you　and　that　sap；　and　the
  tricks　it　could　do；　and；　as　you　seem　fly　to　everything；　I　shouldn't
  wonder　if　you　would　make　a　prime　hand　at　telling　fortunes。
  'I　shouldn't　wonder；'　said　I。
  MAN。　　Of　course。　　And　you　might　still　be　our　God　Almighty；　or　at
  any　rate　our　clergyman；　so　you　should　live　in　a　tilted　cart　by
  yourself；　and　say　prayers　to　us　night　and　morning　…　to　wifelkin
  here；　and　all　our　family；　there's　plenty　of　us　when　we　are　all
  together：　　as　I　said　before；　you　seem　fly；　I　shouldn't　wonder　if
  you　could　read？
  'Oh　yes！'　said　I；　'I　can　read'；　and；　eager　to　display　my
  accomplishments；　I　took　my　book　out　of　my　pocket；　and；　opening　it
  at　random；　proceeded　to　read　how　a　certain　man；　whilst　wandering
  about　a　certain　solitary　island；　entered　a　cave；　the　mouth　of　which
  was　overgrown　with　brushwood；　and　how　he　was　nearly　frightened　to
  death　in　that　cave　by　something　which　he　saw。
  'That　will　do；'　said　the　man；　'that's　the　kind　of　prayers　for　me
  and　my　family；　aren't　they；　wifelkin？　　I　never　heard　more　delicate
  prayers　in　all　my　life！　　Why；　they　beat　the　rubricals　hollow！　…　and
  here　comes　my　son　Jasper。　　I　say；　Jasper；　here's　a　young　sap…engro
  that　can　read；　and　is　more　fly　than　yourself。　　Shake　hands　with
  him；　I　wish　ye　to　be　two　brothers。'
  With　a　swift　but　stealthy　pace　Jasper　came　towards　us　from　the
  farther　part　of　the　lane；　on　reaching　the　tent　he　stood　still；　and
  looked　fixedly　upon　me　as　I　sat　upon　the　stool；　I　looked　fixedly
  upon　him。　　A　queer　look　had　Jasper；　he　was　a　lad　of　some　twelve　or
  thirteen　years；　with　long　arms；　unlike　the　singular　being　who
  called　himself　his　father；　his　complexion　was　ruddy；　but　his　face
  was　seamed；　though　it　did　not　bear　the　peculiar　scar　which
  disfigured　the　countenance　of　the　other；　nor；　though　roguish
  enough；　a　certain　evil　expression　which　that　of　the　other　bore；　and
  which　the　face　of　the　woman　possessed　in　a　yet　more　remarkable
  degree。　　For　the　rest；　he　wore　drab　breeches；　with　certain　strings
  at　the　knee；　a　rather　gay　waistcoat；　and　tolerably　white　shirt；
  under　his　arm　he　bore　a　mighty　whip　of　whalebone　with　a　brass　knob；
  and　upon　his　head　was　a　hat　without　either　top　or　brim。
  'There；　Jasper！　shake　hands　with　the　sap…engro。'
  'Can　he　box；　father？'　said　Jasper；　surveying　me　rather
  contemptuously。　　'I　should　think　not；　he　looks　so　puny　and　small。'
  'Hold　your　peace；　fool！'　said　the　man；　'he　can　do　more　than　that　…
  I　tell　you　he's　fly：　　he　carries　a　sap　about；　which　would　sting　a
  ninny　like　you　to　dead。'
  'What；　a　sap…engro！'　said　the　boy；　with　a　singular　whine；　and；
  stooping　down；　he　leered　curiously　in　my　face；　kindly；　however；　and
  then　patted　me　on　the　head。　　'A　sap…engro；'　he　ejaculated；　'lor！'
  'Yes；　and　one　of　the　right　sort；'　said　the　man；　'I　am　glad　we　have
  met　with　him；　he　is　going　to　list　with　us；　and　be　our　clergyman　and
  God　Almighty；　ain't　you；　my　tawny？'
  'I　don't　know；'　said　I；　'I　must　see　what　my　father　will　say。'
  'Your　father；　bah！'　…　but　here　he　stopped；　for　a　sound　was　heard
  like　the　rapid　galloping　of　a　horse；　not　loud　and　distinct　as　on　a
  road；　but　dull　and　heavy　as　if　upon　a　grass　sward；　nearer　and
  nearer　it　came；　and　the　man；　starting　up；　rushed　out　of　the　tent；
  and　looked　around　anxiously。　　I　arose　from　the　stool　upon　which　I
  had　been　seated；　and　just　at　that　moment；　amidst　a　crashing　of
  boughs　and　sticks；　a　man　on　horseback　bounded　over　the　hedge　into
  the　lane　at　a　few　yards'　distance　from　where　we　were：　　from　the
  impetus　of　the　leap　the　horse　was　nearly　down　on　his　knees；　the
  rider；　however；　by　dint　of　vigorous　handling　of　the　reins；
  prevented　him　from　falling；　and　then　rode　up　to　the　tent。　　''Tis
  Nat；'　said　the　man；　'what　brings　him　here？'　　The　newcomer　was　a
  stout　burly　fellow；　about　the　middle　age；　he　had　a　savage
  determined　look；　and　his　face　was　nearly　covered　over　with
  carbuncles；　he　wore　a　broad　slouching　hat；　and　was　dressed　in　a
  gray　coat；　cut　in　a　fashion　which　I　afterwards　learnt　to　be　the
  genuine　Newmarket　cut；　the　skirts　being　exceedingly　short；　his
  waistcoat　was　of　red　plush；　and　he　wore　broad　corduroy　breeches　and
  white　top…boots。　　The　steed　which　carried　him　was　of　iron　gray；
  spirited　and　powerful；　but　covered　with　sweat　and　foam。　　The　fellow
  glanced　fiercely　and　suspiciously　around；　and　said　something　to　the
  man　of　the　tent　in　a　harsh　and　rapid　voice。　　A　short　and　hurried
  conversation　ensued　in　the　strange　tongue。　　I　could　not　take　my
  eyes　off　this　new…comer。　　Oh；　that　half…jockey；　half…bruiser
  countenance；　I　never　forgot　it！　　More　than　fifteen　years　afterwards
  I　found　myself　amidst　a　crowd　before　Newgate；　a　gallows　was
  erected；　and　beneath　it　stood　a　criminal；　a　notorious　malefactor。
  I　recognised　him　at　once；　the　horseman　of　the　lane　is　now　beneath
  the　fatal　tree；　but　nothing　altered；　still　the　same　man；　jerking
  his　head　to　the　right　and　left　with　the　same　fierce　and　under
  glance；　just　as　if　the　affairs　of　this　world　had　the　same　kind　of
  interest　to　the　last；　gray　coat　of　Newmarket　cut；　plush　waistcoat；
  corduroys；　and　boots；　nothing　altered；　but　the　head；　alas！　is　bare；
  and　so　is　the　neck。　　Oh；　crime　and　virtue；　virtue　and　crime！　…　it
  was　old　John　Newton；　I　think；　who；　when　he　saw　a　man　going　to　be
  hanged；　said；　'There　goes　John　Newton；　but　for　the　grace　of　God！'
  But　the　lane；　the　lane；　all　was　now　in　confusion　in　the　lane；　the
  man　and　woman　were　employed　in　striking　the　tents　and　in　making
  hurried　preparations　for　departure；　the　boy　Jasper　was　putting　the
  harness　upon　the　ponies　and　attaching　them　to　the　carts；　and；　to
  increase　the　singularity　of　the　scene；　two　or　three　wild…looking
  women　and　girls；　in　red　cloaks　and　immense　black　beaver　bonnets；
  came　from　I　know　not　what　direction；　and；　after　exchanging　a　few
  words　with　the　others；　commenced　with　fierce　and　agitated　gestures
  to　assist　them　in　their　occupation。　　The　rider　meanwhile　sat　upon
  his　horse；　but　evidently　in　a　state　of　great　impatience；　he
  muttered　curses　between　his　teeth；　spurred　the　animal　furiously；
  and　then　reined　it　in；　causing　it　to　rear　itself　up　nearly
  perpendicular。　　At　last　he　said；　'Curse　ye　for　Romans；　how　slow　ye
  are！　well；　it　is　no　business　of　mine；　stay　here　all　day　if　you
  like；　I　have　given　ye　warning；　I　am　off　to　the　big　north　road。
  However；　before　I　go；　you　had　better　give　me　all　you　have　of　that。'
  'Truly　spoken；　Nat；　my　pal；'　said　the　man；　'give　it　him；　mother。
  There　it　is；　now　be　off　as　soon　as　you　please；　and　rid　us　of　evil
  company。'
  The　woman　had　handed　him　two　bags　formed　of　stocking；　half　full　of
  something　heavy；　which　looked　through　them　for　all　the　world　like
  money　of　some　kind。　　The　fellow；　on　receiving　them；　thrust　them
  without　ceremony　into　the　pockets　of　his　coat；　and　then；　without　a
  word　of　farewell　salutation；　departed　at　a　tremendous　rate；　the
  hoofs　of　his　horse　thundering　for　a　long　time　on　the　hard　soil　of
  the　neighbouring　road；　till　the　sound　finally　died　away　in　the
  distance。　　The　strange　people　were　not　slow　in　completing　their
  preparations；　and　then；　flogging　their　animals　terrifically；
  hurried　away　seemingly　in　the　same　direction。
  The　boy　Jasper　was　last　of　the　band。　　As　he　was　following　the　rest；
  he　stopped　suddenly；　and　looked　on　the　ground　appearing　to　muse；
  then；　turning　round；　he　came　up　to　me　where　I　was　standing；　leered
  in　my　face；　and　then；　thrusting　out　his　hand；　he　said；　'Good…bye；
  Sap；　I　daresay　we　shall　meet　again；　remember　we　are　brothers；　two
  gentle　brothers。'
  Then　whining　forth；　'What　a　sap…engro；　lor！'　he　gave　me　a　parting
  leer；　and　hastened　away。