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‘Art thou quite sure about the age of the moon?’
inquired the pretended magician.
Being assured there was no mistake on that point, he ciphered again for a few minutes, and then answered, ‘Thou wilt find the thief in the hands of the police.’
The Dutchman went away, evidently inspired with profound reverence.
Having found his goods and the thief, according to prediction, he returned and asked for a private interview.
‘Tell me dat secret,’ said he, ‘and I will pay you a heap of money.’
‘What secret?’
inquired Friend Hopper.
‘Tell me how you know I will find mine goots, and where I will find de tief?’
rejoined he.
‘The plain truth is, I guessed it,’ was the reply; ‘because I had heard there was a thief at the police office, with such goods as thou described.’
‘But what for you ask about de moon?’
inquired the Dutchman.
‘You make figures, and den you say, you will find your goots.
You make figures again, den you tell me where is de tief.
I go, and find mine goots and de tief, just as you say. Tell me how you do dat, and I will pay you a heap of money.’
Though repeatedly assured that it was done only for a joke, he went away unsatisfied: and to the day of his death, he fully believed that the facetious Quaker was a conjuror.
When Friend Hopper hired one of two houses
Boston, J. P. Jewett and Company; Cleveland, Ohio: Jewett, Proctor and Worthington; London; Low and Company, 1854.
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