mare, and of what colour, that he might know when his hour was come. The
conjurer gravely answered, that he would steal a dappled gelding on a
Wednesday, be cast at the Old Bailey on Thursday, and suffer on a Friday;
and he strenuously recommended it to him to appear in the cart with a
nosegay in one hand, and the Whole Duty of Man in the other. "But if in
case it should be in the winter," said the squire, "when a nosegay can't
be had?"--"Why, then," replied the conjurer, "an orange will do as well."

These material points being adjusted to the entire satisfaction of
Timothy, he declared he would bestow another shilling to know the fortune
of an old companion, who truly did not deserve so much at his hands, but
he could not help loving him better than e'er a friend he had in the
world. So saying, he dropped a third offering in the coffin, and desired
to know the fate of his horse Gilbert. The astrologer having again
consulted his art, pronounced that Gilbert would die of the staggers, and
his carcase be given to the hounds; a sentence which made a much deeper
impression upon Crabshaw's mind, than did the prediction of his own
untimely and disgraceful fate. He shed a plenteous shower of tears, and
his grief broke forth in some passionate expressions of tenderness. At
length he told the astrologer he would go and send up the captain, who
wanted to consult him about Margery Cook, because as how she had informed
him that Dr. Grubble had described just such another man as the captain
for her true love; and he had no great stomach to the match, if so be as
the stars were not bent upon their coming together.

Accordingly the squire being dismissed by the conjurer, descended to the
parlour with a rueful length of face, which being perceived by the
captain, he demanded, "What cheer, ho?" with some signs of apprehension.
Crabshaw making no return to this salute, he asked if the conjurer had
taken an observation, and told him anything. Then the other replied, he