"That, sir, will be amended by time." Here, puffing at his pipe, and finding it gone out, he looked at me in surprise.
"Remarkable!" said he.
"What is, sir?"
"While I listened to you I have actually let my pipe go out—a thing which rarely happens with me." As he spoke he thrust one hand into his pocket, when he glance slowly all round, and back once more to me. "Remarkable!" said he again.
"What now, sir?"
"My purse has gone again!"
"What!—gone!" I ejaculated.
"Vanished!" said he, and, to prove his words, turned inside out first one pocket and then the other.
"Come with me," said I, springing up, "there is yet a chance that we may possibly recover it." Forthwith I led him to where had stood a certain gayly-painted caravan, but it was gone—vanished as utterly as my companion's purse.
"Most annoying!" said he, shaking his venerable head, "really most exasperating—I particularly wished to secure a sample of that fellow's pills—the collection of quack remedies is a fad of mine—as it is—"