If Tom had lost on the way to London his servant and both his
horses, he had at least gained some information which might be of
more value to him than all the rest of his possessions; for Captain
Jack had told him to go to Master Cale's and lodge with him,
telling him who had sent him, and had added that he would put him
in the way of becoming a proper gentleman of fashion, without
fleecing him and rooking him, as would inevitably be the case if he
fell into the clutches of those birds of prey always on the lookout
for young squires from the country coming up to learn the ways of
the world, with a plentiful supply of guineas and inexperience.
Master Cale seemed to be well known, and he was directed to his
house in almost the same words by each person he asked. Master Cale
was a perruquier of no small popularity, who had risen through
honesty and ingenuity to be one of the most fashionable tradesmen
of the day. He also sold vests or waistcoats, lace-edged neck
cloths, gloves, sword scarfs and girdles, generally of his own
design; yet though his shop was regularly crowded with gallants and
courtiers, the man himself managed to preserve much of the honesty
and simplicity which had been his making in the days gone by.
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