He felt sure he would know Opportunity if ever he met him face to face, and if ever he did he would have it out with him then and there.
Meanwhile--dadgast the luck!--always the fates pursued him with some sort of hoodoo.

And his neighbors--well, some of them had sense enough to keep their distance and let him alone.

Others, however, had not been considerate of the fact that a "Jinx" was on his trail, and were given to making sarcastic remarks concerning him.

And thus it was that Mister Numbskull spent his days, dodging his neighbors, sidestepping the highways and obscuring himself from the very individual he wanted so much to behold--_Opportunity_.

At last there came a time when, in despair, _and in disrepute_, he took to the woods and is yet to be heard from.