Him make suggee himself in da big copper: see how him like it. Ah, massa Pingwing, morrow-morning!" And as he made his salutation, he stood still, apparently with the intention of having a little gossip, while he pursued his occupation of fashioning a pop-gun out of some alder, of which he had gathered a bough.

"Always busy in making playthings for the children," said the geologist; "I don't know what the young folks would do without you."

"Who ebber tink o' dat?-No, Massa Pingwing mean what I do widout em. I lub da little pickaninny; what for? Pompey ole man dere, (and he pointed to the grizzled wool upon his poll,) but Pompey got libely lilly boy here, (patting his heart, and unsheathing his teeth with a radiant smile.) Him blood so red and so merry as ebber, and Gog! him limbs not berry ole." With these words, he popped the knife into his mouth, let fall the branch of alder, threw his hands upon the ground, and performing a rapid somerset, con

tinued, “Aha, Massa Pingwing, what oo tink o' dat? not berry ole, hey ?"

66

No, indeed, Pompey, I was just observing that you are as lissome as a monkey, and by no means unlike one in other respects."

66

'Berry true, massa, berry true, when I wear ma fine libbery on da Sabba'-day, and go da church ater my lady, um like Jacko monkey; dress op fine, berry fine, and um long for da fiddle to hab a dance. Ma blood berry full o' dance, him dance widout a fiddle. No get libbery now, but white jacket; no like monkey now, Massa."

"I should have thought he would have felt flattered by the comparison," said Penguin to Henry, "but he seems more ashamed of Mr. Frampton's gorgeous livery than of the sable and ugly one that Nature has given him."

Penguin did not think it necessary to lower his voice in making this observation, which he perhaps imagined to be above the comprehension of his black auditor. The latter, how ever, recognizing it with a nod of the head, and the exclamation of "Berry true!" continued--" Massa Pingwing always busy, same

as Pompey; Massa no mind break da stone, dig da earth, go down da pit, climb da cliff, work hard, and wear jacket all same as nigger, ony mine white and mo' smart like. Gog! tink it come to be da fashion; saw two gemmen dis morning all da same as Massa; look at da groun berry sharp, look at da big stone, talkee talkee one anoder, and den tap! tap! break him a pieces as if him a great cocoa-nut full o' meatee."

"Hey! how! what! Pompey; two gentlemen did you say?"

"Iss, Massa; one in da brown jacket, one in da blue."

"Ha! these must be the two geologists I heard of that came over here last week, and were supposed to be from Christ-church."

66 Iss, Massa; I left 'em in da cross-road to Chrishursh, under da great marl-pit."

"Ah, ha! are they poaching upon my manor? There have been some very curious things found in that pit. Shall we join them, my young friend? I dare say they have made some interesting discovery."

Henry signified a ready assent, and Pom

pey having declared, in answer to Penguin's enquiries, that the shortest way to the spot was over the field to their left, and across the miller's water, which they might easily pass by means of the stepping-stones placed for that purpose, pursued his way, busily employed in the completion of his pop-gun and his song, while the geologist and his companion hurried forwards in the direction that had been pointed out to them.

CHAPTER IV.

"Our gayness and our guilt are all besmirch'd With rainy marching in the painful field.” SHAKSPEARE.

AFTER having traversed a ploughed field, not without difficulty from the heavy nature of the soil, they reached a wild brake, overgrown with thistles, nettles, burs, docks, and bramble bushes, through which they had some trouble in forcing their way. The geologist delighted in conquering little impediments of this nature, which at once stimulated his ardour, and established his character for intrepid perseverance, so that volunteering to take the lead, he manfully pushed through every obstacle, observing to his companion that a good sportsman never stood upon trifles in following the game, and that his fustian jacket and trowsers were expressly adapted for emergencies like the present. His seal-skin