the most extensive shipbuilders at Scio, and I was bred to the business from my youth. We were rich, we were prosperous, until we were ruined by the Turkish atrocities at Scio. I arrived in Marseilles, alone, beggared, my father murdered, my wife and children in captivity. How I lived, you all know. While the first two frigates were being built, I watched every stage of their construction. I detected several points of detail which I felt certain would prevent their being successfully launched. When, however, I had entered into my contract with this noble Effendi, I conferred with the shipwrights; I pointed out to them what was wrong; I convinced them, by argument and illustration, of what was necessary to be done. They did it. They altered, they improved. Behold, the ships are launched, and the evil eye had no more to do with the matter than the amber mouthpiece of his excellency the Effendi's chibouque! I have spoken." The Effendi, it is said, looked rather foolish at the conclusion of this explanation, and waddled away, muttering that all Greeks were thieves. Demetrius, however, kept his piastres, gave up diving as a means of livelihood, and, commencing business on his own account as a boat-builder, prospered exceedingly with Katinka his wife, and Andon, Yorghi, and Eudocia, his children. As to the two frigates, they were equipped for sea in good time, and were, I believe, knocked to pieces by the allied fleets at the battle of Navarino. W HEN we returned home, the night | to hold up our heads a little higher in the world, "Well, faith, my dear Charles, be- "What, only pretty well!" returned she; "I think it is very well. Suppose the girls should come to make acquaintances of taste in town. This I am assured of, that London is the only place in the world for all manner of husbands. Besides, my dear, stranger things happen every day; and as ladies of quality are so taken with my daughters, what will not men of quality be? Entre nous, I protest I like my Lady Blarney vastly; so very obliging. However, Miss Carolina Wilhelmina Amelia Skeggs has my warm heart. But yet, when they came to talk of places in town, you saw at once how I nailed them. Tell me, my dear, don't you think I did for my children there?" 66 'Ay," returned I, not knowing well what to think of the matter; "Heaven grant they may be both the better for it this day three months!" This was one of those observations I usually made to impress my wife with an opinion of my sagacity; for if the girls succeeded, then it was a pious wish fulfilled; but if anything unfortunate ensued, then it might be looked upon as a prophecy. All this conversation, however, was only preparatory to another scheme, and, indeed, I dreaded as much. This was nothing less than that, as we were now it would be proper to sell the colt, which was grown old, at the neighbouring fair, and buy us a horse which would carry single or double upon an occasion, and make a pretty appearance at church or upon a visit. This at first I opposed stoutly, but it was as stoutly defended. However, as I weakened, my antagonist gained strength, till at last it was resolved to part with him. As the fair happened on the following day, I had intentions of going myself; but my wife persuaded me that I had got a cold, and nothing could prevail upon her to permit me from home. "No, my dear," said she, "our son Moses is a discreet boy, and can buy and sell to very good advantage; you know all our great bargains are of his purchasing. He always stands out and higgles, and actually tires them till he gets a bargain.” As I had some opinion of my son's prudence, I was willing enough to entrust him with this commission; and the next morning I perceived his sisters mighty busy in fitting out Moses for the fair; trimming his hair, brushing his buckles, and cocking his hat with pins. The business of the toilet being over, we had, at last, the satisfaction of seeing him mounted upon the colt, with a deal box before him to bring home groceries in. He had on a coat of that cloth called thunder and lightning, which, though grown too short, was much too good to be thrown away. His waistcoat was of gosling green, and his sisters had tied his hair with a broad black ribbon. We all followed him several paces from the door, bawling after him, "Good luck! good luck!" till we could see him no longer. "Effendi," he said, "this rayah who dives is doubtless a cunning man, a magician, and by his spells and incantations has arrested the ships of my lord the Padishah, whom Allah preserve, in, their progress! But he is a rayah and a Greek, and a rogue of course. Let my lord the Effendi, bribe him, and he will remove his spells." "You are all dogs, and sons of dogs," answered the Effendi, graciously, "but out of your mouth devoted to the slipper, O Yanni, comes much wisdom. Send for this diver with the evil eye." Demetrius was sent for, and in due time made his appearance, not so much as salaaming to the Effendi, or even removing his cap. The envoy of the Sultan was sorely tempted to begin the interview by addressing himself through the intermediary of a bamboo to the soles of the diver's feet, but fear of the sub-prefect and his gendarmes, and, indeed, of the magical powers of the diver himself, prevented him. "Dog and slave!" said he, politely, "wherefore have you bewitched the ships of our lord and Caliph the Sultan Mahmoud ?" "I am not come here to swallow dirt," answered the diver, coolly, and if your words are for dogs, open the window and throw them out. If you want anything with a man who, in Frangistan, is as good as a Bey Oglon, state your wishes." "The ships, slave, the ships !” The first two stuck in the mud." said the Greek: "and the third, with the blessing of Heaven and St. George of Cappadocia, will no more float than a cannon-ill "Those that are launched are past p "Will the next float!" "If I choose." "And the next?" "If I choose." "Name your own reward, then," sa immensely relieved. "How many require? Will ten thousand do?" "I want much more than that,"r the Diver, with a grim smile. More! What rogues you G much more!" "I want,” pursued the Diver, back from Stamboul. She w Scio, and is in the harem of tl want my three children, my Yorghi, and my girl Eudoci these, here at Massalian (M thousand piastres to boot, launched in safety." All well and good," se write to Stamboul to-nig1 your brood and the pi months. But what see perform your part of t a Greek is not worth a "You shall have a l which you will hand o of Marseilles. You like," concluded t frown. "You can father's life, my si cannot give me th wolf who slew the Within a quart the Diver was r receiving the s bably holding. Turk as the F The moment was to be la: was collect expectation the past t shipbuilde were kno "You lie, yon dog, you lie said the Effendi. Tis you who he, Effendi," answered Demetrius launch the Diver; “and, moreover, if you give me the lie again by St. Luke I will break your unbeheving jaw." A has wn his Arong; he ed she, "to em, I would ways, an was in power afterw equal Sub y dear," cried I; will keep them by As the Effendi happe ci to be alone with Demetrius (for he had dismissed his interpreter), and as there was some what exceed y menacing in the stalwart frame and clenched teeth of the abl Greck, his interlocutor full it expedient to lower his tone. w, are better than He had scarcely gone when Mr. Thornhill's butler came to congratulate us upon our good fortune, saying that he overheard his young master mention our names with great commendation. Good fortune seemed resolved not to come alone. Another footman from the same family followed, with a card for my daughters, importing that the two ladies had received such pleasing accounts from Mr. Thornhill of us all, that, after a few previous inquiries, they hoped to be perfectly satisfied. "Ay," cried my wife, "I now see it is no easy matter to get into one of the families of the great; but when once one gets in, then, as Moses says, one may go to sleep.” To this piece of humour, for she intended it for wit, my daughters assented with a loud laugh of pleasure. In short, such was her satisfaction at this message, that she actually put her hand in her pocket, and gave the messenger sevenpence halfpenny. This was to be our visiting day. The next that came was Mr. Burchell, who had been at the fair. He brought my little ones a pennyworth | of gingerbread each, which my wife undertook to keep for them, and give them by little at a time. He brought my daughters also a couple of boxes, in which they might keep wafers, snuff, patches, or even money, when they got it. My wife was usually fond of a weasel-skin purse, as being the most lucky; but this by-the-bye. We had still a regard for Mr. Burchell, though his late rude behaviour was in some measure displeasing; nor could we now avoid communicating our happiness to him, and asking his advice; although we seldom follow advice, we were all ready enough to ask it. When he read the note from the two ladies he shook his head, and observed that an affair of this sort demanded the utmost circumspection. This air of diffidence highly displeased my wife. "I never doubted, sir," cried she, "your readiness to be against my daughters and me. You have more circumspection than is wanted. However, I fancy when we come to ask advice, we shall apply to persons who have made use of it themselves." "Whatever my own conduct may have been, madam," replied he, "is not the present question; though as I have made no use of advice myself, I should in conscience give it to those that will." As I was apprehensive this answer might draw on a repartee, making up by abuse what is wanted in wit, I changed the subject by seeming to wonder what could keep our son so long at the fair, as it was now almost nightfall. Never mind our son," cried my wife; "depend upon it he knows what he is about. I'll warrant we'll never see him sell his hen on a rainy day. I have seen him buy such bargains as would amaze "I have sold him," cried Moses, "for three pounds five shillings and twopence." "Well done, my good boy," returned she; "I knew you would touch them off. Between ourselves, three pounds five shillings and twopence is no bad day's work. Come, let us have it, then." "I have brought back no money," cried Moses again; "I have laid it all out in a bargain, and here it is," pulling out a bundle from his breast; "here they are; a gross of green spectacles, with silver rims and shagreen cases.” "A gross of green spectacles!" repeated my wife in a faint voice. "And you have parted with the colt, and brought us back nothing but a gross of green paltry spectacles!" "Dear mother," cried the boy, "why won't you listen to reason ! I had them a dead bargain, or I should not have bought them. The silver rims alone will sell for double the money.” "A fig for the silver rims!" cried my wife, in a passion. "I dare swear they won't sell for above half the money at the rate of broken silver, five shillings an ounce.” "You need be under no uneasiness," cried I, about selling the rims, for they are not worth sixpence, for I perceive they are only copper varnished over." "What!" cried my wife, "not silver! the rims not silver!" "No," cried I, 110 more silver than your saucepan." advantage of every disappointment to improve By this time the unfortunate Moses was unde- another man, very well dressed, who desired to advantageous to the weaker side; the rich having the pleasure, the poor the inconveniences, that result from them. But come, Dick, my boy, and repeat the fable you were reading to-day, for the good of the company." "Once upon a time," cried the child, "a giant and a dwarf were friends, and kept together. They made a bargain that they would never forsake each other, but go seek adventures. The first battle they fought was with two Saracens; and the dwarf, who was very courageous, dealt one of the champions a most angry blow. It did the Saracen |