ing, must rest on the decision of your lordship."

"You have spoken to the purpose," said the Baron:" but as the matter originated from a mistake, I trust you will not be severe in your demands of justice. You," added he, addressing himself to the reve," have been too precipitate in your proceedings, and have thereby disgraced an innocent man, and hindered him from proceeding where his business called him. The offence is a serious one, and, I hope, such a one as I shall not hear of from you again: in the present case, you shall pay him two angels of gold; the one for the disgrace, and the other for the delay you have occasioned; on condition that, on his part, he will drop all contention and animosity, and friendship shall be restored between you."

"With all my heart," said the Little Tailor, your honour says well: : by the mass, I never bore malice with any man: so give me your

CHAPTER III.

Gregory discovered, and disgraced.

GREGORY, having reached Queenhoo-hall,. had the satisfaction of finding that his absence had not been missed; and in order to escape all observation, he withdrew to his apartment. The first thing that occurred to his recollection, upon lying down in the bed, was the loss of the sheet; but he quieted his mind with the supposition that he had left it in the warren, where it might possibly remain unseen by any one until the morning. Accordingly, he rose exceedingly early, and having prevailed upon the porter to unlock the gate sooner than usual, on pretence of having

some business of importance to transact, he made the best of his way to the warren, where he traced and retraced the whole circuit of his perambulation, scrutinizing every hillock, bush, and briar, but in vain; for the sheet, as the reader well knows, was not to be found there.

He returned to Queenhoo-Hall with a heavy heart, and knew not what excuse he should make to the chamberlain for the deficiency of his bed-linen. When the breakfast-bell rung, he joined the servants in the hall, as though nothing had happened. His comrades, however, thought he was graver than usual; and Gervise, who delighted in teasing him, observed, that his wit was as pointless as a pellet from a pop-gun; for although it made a great sound, it did no execution.

The crest-fallen jester replied:—“ This, then, is nearly equal with your understand

ing, which a pellet from a pop-gun can easily subvert."

The men of war, having reached their quarters at Welwyn, made themselves merry with recounting the adventure; and he who had taken the sheet, produced the same as a proof of the veracity of their tale.

It happened, that Jack, the basket-maker who was present at the time, turning it over, recognized the cognisance of the Boteler family wrought with the needle upon it, when turning to the soldier, he advised him to be careful how he disposed of that article;

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for," said he, "it belongs to the baron, and was probably stolen by the knave, who counterfeited the apparition."

The soldier was disappointed by losing the price, which he had considered as lawfully obtained; but he did not choose to dispute the point, when he heard that it was the property of Lord Boteler, and especially as the host, who had formerly been a servant in the

baron's household, confirmed the assertions of the basket-maker. "I will, however," said the innkeeper," upon my own account, give you a stoup of the best ale in my cellar for the sheet; and I will take care that it shall be returned."

The offer of the host was readily accepted by the man of war; and he and his comrade made merry over the ale, wishing they might meet with such another goblin every night,

The innkeeper, in the morning, determined going to Queenhoo-Hall; but, at the same time, he thought it would be best to take the two soldiers with him; for which reason, having obtained leave of absence from their officer, all three of them went together.

Just before their arrival, the under chamberlain had discovered the loss of the sheet, and made complaint to Oswald, supposing that Gregory had secreted it, by way of jest, to give him the trouble of seeking it. Gregory, on his part, flatly denied any know