uch shaken.
After he had sufficiently recovered his breath he looked towards me
and said: 'Are you hurt, my poor man?' Quick as a flash it occurred
to me that I was, and I began to limp painfully. 'How far are you
going?' he asked. I mentioned a town four miles away, and said that
I had no doubt but what I could walk there, but that on my reaching
that place it would probably be a week or more before I would be able
to work, even if I could get it, and that I had no means whatever
to keep myself idle in lodgings for that length of time. 'Are you
sure that you can walk there without assistance?' he asked. 'Yes,' I
said, 'by taking my time.' 'I am very sorry for you,' said he, 'and
if this can be of help you are heartily welcome to it'--with that he
placed in my hand a gold half-sovereign. Telling him I was ashamed
to take advantage of what was no more than a pure accident, but that
my straitened circumstances compelled me to do so, and saying how
glad I was that he received no hurt, I left him, and began to limp
painfully on my way. I had not got many yards, when he was again at
my side, and, giving me his card, asked me to write in the course of
a day or two, and let him know of my progress. And, you may depend
on it," said Bony, with a grin, "that I did write on the third day,
saying that I was doing well--for I feared a personal visit from him,
with a doctor--and that in three or four more days I would be in a
fit condition to work. He wrote a very kind letter in answer, with
a postal order enclosed for ten shillings. Of course, I still keep
the gentleman's address, and call on him occasionally, and I always
receive a good meal and a shilling, and sometimes clothes as well."

"Have another drink, Bony," said I.

After the drinks were brought, and Bony had passed his usual comment
on the colour, he went on to tell how necessary it was to keep a
civil tongue on all occasions. "One day," said he, "a little man
whom I could have crushed in my arms, called me all the big, idle
vagabonds he could think of. But I allo