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fly at him; "I could tear thee limb from limb, thou horrible young villain."

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Nay, thou hadst best be quiet and take thyself off," observed the boy, seriously; though he took huge delight in seeing her in so towering a passion. "Indeed if thou shewest thy tearing humour to me, I will set the dog on thee, who be famous for worrying of an old witch."

"Dost call me an old witch, thou pestilent little varlet? Me an old witch!-me!"

"'Tis like enough to be true; for 'tis well known thou wert seen last Christmas eve dancing of a measure with the devil's grannum on the top of the moon."

"I dance with the devil's grannum ?—I !"

"I have spoke with those who will take their oaths of it and moreover they do report that thou didst caper after a fashion that was a scandal to look upon."

"Oh! the horrid perjurers! But I do believe thou sayest it of thine own villainous invention:thou wilt come to the gallows, that be one comfort." "Away, old witch!"

"I'll live to see thee hanged, thou outrageous little villain."

"Mount thy broomstick, and be off up the chimney; for thy cousin Beelzebub be waiting for thee, with a goodly bowl of brimstone and treacle for thy supper."

"I tell thee I be an honest woman that have had children, and two of 'em be twins," squeaked out the old woman, now in such a rage she could scarcely speak.

"Ah! I have heard of thy twins," exclaimed the boy, in an aggravating tone: "the midwife told her gossip, and her gossip told the neighbours."

"And what said she, thou hangdog?" cried the other, trembling in every limb with the greatness of her passion. "I do defy thee, caitiff; they were as fine twins as ever honest woman had."

"Marvellous fine, truly!" replied he, in the same manner; "for I was told by those who had had sight of them, that one of them was a threelegged stool and the other an elephant."

"Oh! thou horrid young monster! thou perjured little villain !”

"Away, broomstick !"

"Thou hang-dog! Thou gallows bird!” "Out, brimstone !"

"Thou misbegotten imp of mischief! Thou-" "The devil waiteth supper for thee. Vanish!" "Agh!" shrieked the enraged old woman, with a violent twist of her head, as if she had exhausted all her spite; and then shaking her skinny fist at Harry Daring, she suddenly flung herself out at the door.

"Ha! ha! ha!" roared the boy, seemingly in Well, if this be not the most

a perfect ecstacy.

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exquisite fine fun then know I not what fun is. But methought this drawing of teeth would be good sport; and, if I could only get to breathe a vein now, then should I be content. Ah, puss !— art there still? Well, I must needs have at thee again for lack of another customer. But I want not aught of thy teeth at present: I be only curious to know if thou hast got ever a vein."

The mischievous apprentice soon had the cat in his lap again, and after talking to her in a similar strain as at first, with a liberal supply of his Latin, he tied up one of her fore legs with a piece of tape as if about to let her blood. And doubtless he would have persisted in such intention, for he had the lancet in his hand, and the cat lay as still as if she was too frightened to move, when, upon a noise of opening of the door, he let her down quickly, and putting his hands behind him that none might see what he had hold on, he turned round to see who it was, with a face as demure and innocent as you please. Then there entered no other than Captain Swagger, (of whom the reader hath already some knowledge), marching in with the absolutest blustering manner that

ever was seen.

"Fellow, where's thy master?" he exclaimed in a voice of thunder, as, with his tremendous sword clattering against the boards as he went, he flung himself into the great chair, looking

at the boy as if he would eat him at a mouthful.

“Please you, my lord," replied Harry Daring very respectfully, and with a countenance that would have become a judge; "he hath gone to wait upon an alderman, if it please your lordship, who be troubled with the windy cholics exceeding badly, please you, my lord; but, as he hath marvellous great confidence in me, knowing that I be skilled beyond my years in every thing that appertaineth to chirurgery and to the craft of a barber, he is willing enough I should attend his business in his absence, if it please your lordship : therefore, if there be any thing you require of my master, if I attempt it you may be well assured it shall lack nothing in the doing, if it please you, my lord?"

"Canst let blood, fellow?" enquired the captain, somewhat prepossessed in favour of the apprentice, for that he had taken him for a lord.

"I can let any thing, if it please your lordship," said the boy, famously well pleased that such was required of him. "But, indeed, in the letting of blood lieth my particular skilfulness. I can assure you, for a truth, that I have acquired by repeated practice such excellent cunning in the breathing of a vein, that I do it, and lo!-the patient shall not know it be done. And in all honesty I can add, without boasting, that there be

divers worshipful members of the common council who will not hear of any other letting them blood, I be held of them in such high consideration which remindeth me of what hath been said on this subject by the learned PodaliriusSanguis draconis granum unum, panis recentis drachmæ duos; misce et dividere in pilulas centum,' which rightly translated reads thus, 'He that can breathe a vein in such sort as to be out of comparison with any other, shall assuredly be considered as one beyond all price among those who would be let blood-if it please you, my lord."

"What, canst quote Latin?" asked Captain Swagger, as completely imposed upon as the old woman had been. "Well, take my arm; but see that I be let blood in proper fashion, fellow! or I will cut off thy ears."

"Of that rest you well satisfied," answered the boy, gravely proceeding to bind up the captain's arm, and in no way daunted at his fierce manner; for in truth he was of such a spirit that he cared for nothing when he was about any mischief. "And as for the quoting of Latin, if it please your lordship, I began so early at it, and took to it so kindly, that I be now accounted such a dabster there be scarce any book in Latin I cannot give you chapter and verse out of."

The young rogue had by this time bared and tied up the patient's arm, and gave him to hold

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