HEN Jack first made the acquaintance of the board on the Wednesday after he first came to the workhouse, the seven or eight gentlemen sitting round the green table greeted him quite as one of themselves as he came into the room. This was a dull September morning; the mist seemed to have oned in through the loph window and continually opening door. When Jack passed through the outer or entrance room, he saw a heap of wistful faces and rags already waiting for admittance, some women and some children, a man with an arm in a sling, one or two workhouse habituésthere was no mistaking the hard coarse faces. Two old paupers were keeping watch at the door, and officiously flung it open for him to pass in. The guardians and greeted him very affably on the previous occasion,-a man of the world, a prosperons but eccentric vicar, was not to be treated like an everyday curate and chaplain. "Ah, how-d'ye-do, Mr. Trevithie?" said the halfpay Captain, the chairman. The gas-fitter cleared his throat and made a VOL. XVI-NO. 97.

THE

CORNHILL MAGAZINE.

JANUARY, 1868.

Jack the Giant-Killer.

CHAPTER VII.

IN BLUNDERBORE'S CASTLE.

HEN Jack first made the acquaintance of the board on the Wednesday after he first came to the workhouse, the seven or eight gentlemen sitting round the green table greeted him quite as one of themselves as he came into the room. This was a dull September morning; the mist seemed to have oozed in through the high window and continually opening door. When Jack passed through the outer or entrance room, he saw a heap of wistful faces and rags already waiting for admittance, some women and some children, a man with an arm in a sling, one or two workhouse habituésthere was no mistaking the hard coarse faces. Two old paupers were keeping watch at the door,

and officiously flung it open for him to pass in. The guardians had greeted him very affably on the previous occasion,-a man of the world, a prosperous but eccentric vicar, was not to be treated like an everyday curate and chaplain. "Ah, how-d'ye-do, Mr. Trevithic? said the halfpay Captain, the chairman. The gas-fitter cleared his throat and made a VOL. XVII.-No. 97.

1.