adventure, and accordingly followed our guide over the piece of rough
muddy ground which led to the brick walls before us. We found them on
a neared inspection quite as empty as they appeared from the road;
neither doors nor windows were placed in them, and the staircases were
not properly fixed. It was with much trouble we succeeded in reaching
the floor where the bed-chambers were to be, and found that not even
the boards were laid down. We told our conductor, that the place would
not suit us, as we were compelled to remove from our present residence
in three weeks.

"Well, if that's all that hinders your taking it, I'll engage to get
it all ready in that time."

"What! get the staircases fixed, the doors and windows put in, the
walls papered and painted?"

"Yes," was answered, in a confident tone, which expressed indignation
at the doubt we had implied.

We then ventured to say, that, "Allowing he could get the house ready
by the time we required to move, we saw no sign of the coach-house and
stable, lawn or flower-garden, kitchen or meadow."

"As for the coach-house and stable," said the showman, "I can get your
horses put up in the village."

We hastened to disclaim the _horses_, and humbly confessed that our
stud consisted of one pony only.

"The less reason to be in a hurry for the stable, for you can put one