door, "Good beer sold here." Being overcome with thirst, I went in to
taste the beverage. Along the wall opposite where I sat in the
well-sanded kitchen was the most disconsolate family I had ever seen,
consisting of a tinker, his wife, a pretty-looking woman, who had
evidently been crying, and a ragged boy and girl. I treated them to a
large measure of beer, and in a few minutes the tinker was telling me
his history. That conversation ended very curiously, for I purchased for
five pounds ten shillings the man's whole equipment. It included his
stock-in-trade, and his pony and cart. Of the landlady I purchased
sundry provisions, and also a waggoner's frock, gave the horse a little
feed of corn, and departed.


_IV.--The Flaming Tinman_


At three hours past noon I thus started to travel as a tinker. I was
absolutely indifferent as to the direction of my journey. Coming to no
hostelry, I pitched my little tent after nightfall in a waste land
amongst some bushes, and kindled a fire in a convenient spot with sticks
which I gathered. For a few days I practiced my new craft by trying to
mend two kettles and a frying-pan, remaining in my little camp. Few folk
passed by. But soon some exciting incidents happened. My quarters were
one morning suddenly invaded by a young Romany girl, who advanced
towards me, after closely scanning me, singing a gipsy song:

The Romany chi
And the Romany chal
Shall jaw tasaulor
To drab the bawlor,