been arrested merely to keep him from blowing up the cathedral this
night. The arrest had an excellent effect upon his mind, for he was a
young man of good sense: it made him resolve to retrench his expenses in
time, to live more like a glover and less like a gentleman; and to aim
more at establishing credit, and less at gaining popularity. He found,
from experience, that good friends will not pay bad debts.



CHAPTER II


On Thursday morning our verger rose in unusually good spirits,
congratulating himself upon the eminent service he had done to the city
of Hereford by his sagacity in discovering the foreign plot to blow up
the Cathedral, and by his dexterity in having the enemy held in custody,
at the very hour when the dreadful deed was to have been perpetrated. Mr.
Hill's knowing friends farther agreed it would be necessary to have a
guard that should sit up every night in the churchyard; and that as soon
as they could, by constantly watching the enemy's motions, procure any
information which the attorney should deem sufficient grounds for a legal
proceeding, they should lay the whole business before the mayor.

After arranging all this most judiciously and mysteriously with friends
who were exactly of his own opinion, Mr. Hill laid aside his dignity of
verger, and assuming his other character of a tanner, proceeded to his
tan-yard. What was his surprise and consternation, when he beheld his
great rick of oak bark levelled to the ground; the pieces of bark were
scattered far and wide, some over the close, some over the fields, and
some were seen swimming upon the water! No tongue, no pen, no muse can