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‘What, a sap-engro!’ said the boy, with a singular whine, and, stooping down, he leered curiously in my face, kindly, however, and then patted me on the head. ‘A sap-engro,’ he ejaculated; ‘lor!’ ‘Yes, and one of the right sort,’ said the man; ‘I am glad we have met with him, he is going to list with us, and be our clergyman and God Almighty, ain’t you, my tawny?’
'We'll no longer call you Sap-engro, brother, said he; but rather Lav-engro, which in the language of the gorgios meaneth Word-master. 'Nay, brother, said Tawno Chikno, with whom I had become very intimate, 'you had better call him Cooro-mengro, I have put on the gloves with him, and find him a pure fist-master; I like him for that, for I am a Cooro-mengro myself, and was born at Brummagem.
I shall tell the world of my parentage, my early thoughts and habits; how I became a sap-engro, or viper- catcher; my wanderings with the regiment in England, Scotland and Ireland . . . Then a great deal about Norwich, Billy Taylor, Thurtell, etc.; how I took to study and became a lav-engro. The third but I shall tell you no more of my secrets."
At length the man looked me in the face, and said, somewhat hesitatingly, ‘So you are not one of them there after all?’ Myself. One of them there? I don’t know what you mean. Man. Why, we have been thinking you were a goblin—a devilkin! However, I see how it is: you are a sap-engro, a chap who catches snakes, and plays tricks with them!
Lor! the sap-engro upon the hill!’ ‘I remember that word,’ said I, ‘and I almost think I remember you. You can’t be—’ ‘Jasper, your pal! Truth, and no lie, brother.’ ‘It is strange that you should have known me,’ said I. ‘I am certain, but for the word you used, I should never have recognised you.’
‘That will do,’ said the man; ‘that’s the kind of prayers for me and my family, aren’t they, wifelkin? I never heard more delicate prayers in all my life! Why, they beat the rubricals hollow!—and here comes my son Jasper. I say, Jasper, here’s a young sap-engro that can read, and is more fly than yourself. Shake hands with him; I wish ye to be two brothers.’
Lor! the sap-engro upon the hill! 'I remember that word, said I, 'and I almost think I remember you. You can't be 'Jasper, your pal! Truth, and no lie, brother. 'It is strange that you should have known me, said I. 'I am certain, but for the word you used, I should never have recognised you.
At length the man looked me in the face, and said, somewhat hesitatingly, "so you are not one of them there, after all?" Myself. One of them there? I don't know what you mean. Man. Why, we have been thinking you were a goblin a devilkin! However, I see how it is: you are a sap-engro, a chap who catches snakes, and plays tricks with them!
But now, with a nod to the figure who had stopped him, and with another inquiring glance at myself, the big man once more put his steed into motion, and, after riding round the ring a few more times, darted through a lane in the crowd, and followed by his two companions disappeared, whereupon the figure who had whispered to him, and had subsequently remained in the middle of the space, came towards me, and, cracking a whip which he held in his hand so loudly that the report was nearly equal to that of a pocket pistol, he cried in a strange tone: 'What! the sap-engro?
Then whining forth, 'What a sap-engro, lor! he gave me a parting leer, and hastened away. I remained standing in the lane gazing after the retreating company. 'A strange set of people, said I at last; 'wonder who they can be? Three years Lilly's grammar Proficiency Ignorant of figures The school bell Order of succession Persecution What are we to do?
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