right jolly partners in the practical game of beggar my neighbour.
While, however, Dummie Dunnaker, who was a little inclined to be shy,
deliberated as to the propriety of claiming acquaintanceship, a dirty
boy, with a face which betokened the frost, as Dummie himself said, like
a plum dying of the scarlet fever, entered the room, with a newspaper in
his dexter paw.

"Great news! great news!" cried the urchin, imitating his vociferous
originals in the street; "all about the famous Captain Lovett, as large
as life!"

"'Old your blarney, you blattergowl!" said Dummie, rebukingly, and
seizing the journal.

"Master says as how he must have it to send to Clapham, and can't spare
it for more than a 'our!" said the boy, as he withdrew.

"I 'members the day," said Dummie, with the zeal of a clansman, "when the
Mug took a paper all to itsel' instead o' 'iring it by the job like!"

Thereon he opened the paper with a fillip, and gave himself tip to the
lecture. But the tall stranger, half rising with a start, exclaimed,--

"Can't you have the manners to be communicative? Do you think nobody
cares about Captain Lovett but yourself?" On this, Dummie turned round
on his chair, and, with a "Blow me tight, you're velcome, I'm sure,"
began as follows (we copy the paper, not the diction of the reader):--

"The trial of the notorious Lovett commences this day. Great
exertions have been made by people of all classes to procure seats