"Bring some more claret," said the master to the man, or rather boy, as he was called, though twice as old as any of the party.
At this instant I caught my companion's eye; and I could see he was becoming alive to the plot against him, so much so, indeed, that he seemed to be preparing to rise.

The following conversation, however, attracted his attention, and fixed him to his seat.

"Well, Tim, what are you gaping at?
Why don't you run for the clar't ?" "I didn't know," replied the other, "whether you'd like to use the whole of it." "Use the whole of it!" exclaimed his master--"what does the boy mean?
Why, Tim, what are you at ?" "Oh, sir," quoth the well-instructed rogue, "as the wine you brought was but little, I thought you might not wish to use it all entirely to-day." And then he whispered something in his master's ear, the words of which we could not distinguish.

The reply, however, showed, or seemed to show, what had been said.

"Nonsense, Tim, nonsense! you're an ass, man; bring it up." Tim accordingly disappeared, but soon returned with a basket apparently full of straw; at the bottom of which, however, after some considerable show of hunting, a couple of bottles were said to be found.