then　thrusts　the　end　of　it　into　my　mouth　with　such　fury　that　it
  made　my　lips　bleed；　and　broke　short　one　of　my　teeth　which　happened
  to　be　decayed。　　'Swear；'　said　he；　'swear；　you　mumping　villain；　take
  your　Bible　oath　that　you　will　quit　and　give　up　the　beat　altogether；
  or　I'll　…　and　then　the　hard…hearted　villain　made　me　swear　by　the
  Bible；　and　my　own　damnation；　half…throttled　as　I　was；　to　…　to　…　I
  can't　go　on　…
  MYSELF。　　Take　another　draught　…　stout　liquor　…
  TINKER。　　I　can't；　young　man；　my　heart's　too　full；　and　what's　more；
  the　pitcher　is　empty。
  MYSELF。　　And　so　he　swore　you；　I　suppose；　on　the　Bible；　to　quit　the
  roads？
  TINKER。　　You　are　right；　he　did　so；　the　gypsy　villain。
  MYSELF。　　Gypsy！　　Is　he　a　gypsy？
  TINKER。　　Not　exactly；　what　they　call　a　half…and…half。　　His　father
  was　a　gypsy；　and　his　mother；　like　mine；　one　who　walked　the　roads。
  MYSELF。　　Is　he　of　the　Smiths　…　the　Petulengres？
  TINKER。　　I　say；　young　man；　you　know　a　thing　or　two；　one　would
  think；　to　hear　you　talk；　you　had　been　bred　upon　the　roads。　　I
  thought　none　but　those　bred　upon　the　roads　knew　anything　of　that
  name　…　Petulengres！　　No；　not　he；　he　fights　the　Petulengres　whenever
  he　meets　them；　he　likes　nobody　but　himself；　and　wants　to　be　king　of
  the　roads。　　I　believe　he　is　a　Boss；　or　a　…　at　any　rate　he's　a　bad
  one；　as　I　know　to　my　cost。
  MYSELF。　　And　what　are　you　going　to　do？
  TINKER。　　Do！　you　may　well　ask　that；　I　don't　know　what　to　do。　　My
  poor　wife　and　I　have　been　talking　of　that　all　the　morning；　over
  that　half…pint　mug　of　beer；　we　can't　determine　on　what's　to　be
  done。　　All　we　know　is；　that　we　must　quit　the　roads。　　The　villain
  swore　that　the　next　time　he　saw　us　on　the　roads　he'd　cut　all　our
  throats；　and　seize　our　horse　and　bit　of　a　cart　that　are　now
  standing　out　there　under　the　tree。
  MYSELF。　　And　what　do　you　mean　to　do　with　your　horse　and　cart？
  TINKER。　　Another　question！　　What　shall　we　do　with　our　cart　and
  pony？　they　are　of　no　use　to　us　now。　　Stay　on　the　roads　I　will　not；
  both　for　my　oath's　sake　and　my　own。　　If　we　had　a　trifle　of　money；
  we　were　thinking　of　going　to　Bristol；　where　I　might　get　up　a　little
  business；　but　we　have　none；　our　last　three　farthings　we　spent　about
  the　mug　of　beer。
  MYSELF。　　But　why　don't　you　sell　your　horse　and　cart？
  TINKER。　　Sell　them！　and　who　would　buy　them；　unless　some　one　who
  wished　to　set　up　in　my　line；　but　there's　no　beat；　and　what's　the
  use　of　the　horse　and　cart　and　the　few　tools　without　the　beat？
  MYSELF。　　I'm　half　inclined　to　buy　your　cart　and　pony；　and　your　beat
  too。
  TINKER。　　You！　　How　came　you　to　think　of　such　a　thing？
  MYSELF。　　Why；　like　yourself；　I　hardly　know　what　to　do。　　I　want　a
  home　and　work。　　As　for　a　home；　I　suppose　I　can　contrive　to　make　a
  home　out　of　your　tent　and　cart；　and　as　for　work；　I　must　learn　to　be
  a　tinker；　it　would　not　be　hard　for　one　of　my　trade　to　learn　to
  tinker；　what　better　can　I　do？　　Would　you　have　me　go　to　Chester　and
  work　there　now？　　I　don't　like　the　thoughts　of　it。　　If　I　go　to
  Chester　and　work　there；　I　can't　be　my　own　man；　I　must　work　under　a
  master；　and　perhaps　he　and　I　should　quarrel；　and　when　I　quarrel　I
  am　apt　to　hit　folks；　and　those　that　hit　folks　are　sometimes　sent　to
  prison；　I　don't　like　the　thought　either　of　going　to　Chester　or　to
  Chester　prison。　　What　do　you　think　I　could　earn　at　Chester？
  TINKER。　　A　matter　of　eleven　shillings　a　week；　if　anybody　would
  employ　you；　which　I　don't　think　they　would　with　those　hands　of
  yours。　　But　whether　they　would　or　not；　if　you　are　of　a　quarrelsome
  nature　you　must　not　go　to　Chester；　you　would　be　in　the　castle　in　no
  time。　　I　don't　know　how　to　advise　you。　　As　for　selling　you　my
  stock；　I'd　see　you　farther　first；　for　your　own　sake。
  MYSELF。　　Why？
  TINKER。　　Why！　you　would　get　your　head　knocked　off。　　Suppose　you
  were　to　meet　him？
  MYSELF。　　Pooh；　don't　be　afraid　on　my　account；　if　I　were　to　meet　him
  I　could　easily　manage　him　one　way　or　other。　　I　know　all　kinds　of
  strange　words　and　names；　and；　as　I　told　you　before；　I　sometimes　hit
  people　when　they　put　me　out。
  Here　the　tinker's　wife；　who　for　some　minutes　past　had　been
  listening　attentively　to　our　discourse；　interposed；　saying；　in　a
  low　soft　tone：　　'I　really　don't　see；　John；　why　you　shouldn't　sell
  the　young　man　the　things；　seeing　that　he　wishes　for　them；　and　is　so
  confident；　you　have　told　him　plainly　how　matters　stand；　and　if
  anything　ill　should　befall　him；　people　couldn't　lay　the　blame　on
  you；　but　I　don't　think　any　ill　will　befall　him；　and　who　knows　but
  God　has　sent　him　to　our　assistance　in　time　of　need？'
  'I'll　hear　of　no　such　thing；'　said　the　tinker；　'I　have　drunk　at　the
  young　man's　expense；　and　though　he　says　he's　quarrelsome；　I　would
  not　wish　to　sit　in　pleasanter　company。　　A　pretty　fellow　I　should
  be；　now；　if　I　were　to　let　him　follow　his　own　will。　　If　he　once　sets
  up　on　my　beat；　he's　a　lost　man；　his　ribs　will　be　stove　in；　and　his
  head　knocked　off　his　shoulders。　　There；　you　are　crying；　but　you
  shan't　have　your　will　though；　I　won't　be　the　young　man's
  destruction　。　。　。　If；　indeed；　I　thought　he　could　manage　the　tinker
  …　but　he　never　can；　he　says　he　can　hit；　but　it's　no　use　hitting　the
  tinker；　…　crying　still！　you　are　enough　to　drive　one　mad。　　I　say；
  young　man；　I　believe　you　understand　a　thing　or　two；　just　now　you
  were　talking　of　knowing　hard　words　and　names　…　I　don't　wish　to　send
  you　to　your　mischief　…　you　say　you　know　hard　words　and　names；　let
  us　see。　　Only　on　one　condition　I'll　sell　you　the　pony　and　things；
  as　for　the　beat　it's　gone；　isn't　mine　…　sworn　away　by　my　own　mouth。
  Tell　me　what's　my　name；　if　you　can't；　may　I　…　'
  MYSELF。　　Don't　swear；　it's　a　bad　habit；　neither　pleasant　nor
  profitable。　　Your　name　is　Slingsby　…　Jack　Slingsby。　　There；　don't
  stare；　there's　nothing　in　my　telling　you　your　name：　　I've　been　in
  these　parts　before；　at　least　not　very　far　from　here。　　Ten　years
  ago；　when　I　was　little　more　than　a　child；　I　was　about　twenty　miles
  from　here　in　a　post…chaise；　at　the　door　of　an　inn；　and　as　I　looked
  from　the　window　of　the　chaise；　I　saw　you　standing　by　a　gutter；　with
  a　big　tin　ladle　in　your　hand；　and　somebody　called　you　Jack
  Slingsby。　　I　never　forget　anything　I　hear　or　see；　I　can't；　I　wish　I
  could。　　So　there's　nothing　strange　in　my　knowing　your　name；　indeed；
  there's　nothing　strange　in　anything；　provided　you　examine　it　to　the
  bottom。　　Now　what　am　I　to　give　you　for　the　things？
  I　paid　Slingsby　five　pounds　ten　shillings　for　his　stock　in　trade；
  cart；　and　pony　…　purchased　sundry　provisions　of　the　landlady；　also
  a　wagoner's　frock；　which　had　belonged　to　a　certain　son　of　hers；
  deceased；　gave　my　little　animal　a　feed　of　corn；　and　prepared　to
  depart。
  'God　bless　you；　young　man；'　said　Slingsby；　shaking　me　by　the　hand；
  'you　are　the　best　friend　I've　had　for　many　a　day：　　I　have　but　one
  thing　to　tell　you；　Don't　cross　that　fellow's　path　if　you　can　help
  it；　and　stay　…　should　the　pony　refuse　to　go；　just　touch　him　so；　and
  he'll　fly　like　the　wind。'
  CHAPTER　LXIX
  Effects　of　corn　…　One　night　longer　…　The　hoofs　…　A　stumble　…　Are
  you　hurt？　…　What　a　difference　…　Drowsy　…　Maze　of　bushes　…
  Housekeeping　…　Sticks　and　furze　…　The　driftway　…　Account　of　stock　…
  Anvil　and　bellows　…　Twenty　years。
  IT　was　two　or　three　hours　past　noon　when　I　took　my　departure　from
  the　place　of　the　last　adventure；　walking　by　the　side　of　my　little
  cart；　the　pony；　invigorated　by　the　corn；　to　which　he　was　probably
  not　much　accustomed；　proceeded　right　gallantly；　so　far　from　having
  to　hasten　him　forward　by　the　particular　application　which　the
  tinker　had　pointed　out　to　me；　I　had　rather　to　repress　his
  eagerness；　being；　though　an　excellent　pedestrian；　not　unfrequently
  left　behind。　　The　country　through　which　I　passed　was　beautiful　and
  interesting；　but　solitary；　few　habitations　appeared。　　As　it　was
  quite　a　matter　of　indifference　to　me　in　what　direction　I　went；　the
  whole　world　being　before　me；　I　allowed　the　pony　to　decide　upon　the
  matter；　it　was　not　long　before　he　left　the　high…road；　being
  probably　no　friend　to　public　places。　　I　followed　him　I　knew　not
  whither；　but；　from　subsequent　observation；　have　reason　to　suppose
  that　our　course　was　in　a　north…west　direction。　　At　length　night
  came　upon　us；　and　a　cold　wind　sprang　up；　which　was　succeeded　by　a
  drizzling　rain。
  I　had　originally　intended　to　pass　the　night　in　the　cart；　or　to
  pitch　my　little　tent　on　some　convenient　spot　by　the　road's　side；
  but；　owing　to　the　alteration　in　the　weather；　I　thought　that　it
  would　be　advisable　to　take　up　my　quarters　in　any　hedge　alehouse　at
  which　I　might　arrive。　　To　tell　the　truth；　I　was　not　very　sorry　to
  have　an　excuse　to　pass　the　night　once　more　beneath　a　roof。　　I　had
  determined　to　live　quite　independent；　but　I　had　never　before　passed
  a　night　by　myself　abroad；　and　felt　a