This worthy, after looking at the thimble man a moment or two, with a peculiarly crafty glance, cried out, as he clapped down a shilling on the table, "I will stand you, old fellow!" "Them that finds, wins; and them that can't--och, sure!--they loses," said the thimble man.

The game commenced, and Jack took up the thimble without finding the pea; another shilling was produced, and lost in the same manner.

"This is slow work," said Jack, banging down a guinea on the table; "can you cover that, old fellow ?" The man of the thimble looked at the gold, and then at him who produced it, and scratched his head.

"Come, cover that, or I shall be off," said the jockey.

"Och, shure, my lord!--no, I mean your honour--no, shure, your lordship," said the other, "if I covers it at all, it must be with silver, for divil a bit of gold have I by me." "Well, then, produce the value in silver," said the jockey, "and do it quickly, for I can't be staying here all day." The thimble man hesitated, looked at Jack with a dubious look, then at the gold, and then scratched his head.