Paul the Courageous

overness. They missed their elder brother very much, for though he domineered over them a good deal, they loo

led with a great desire to work well, and make up in that way for his past behaviour. So the weeks sped by; half term came and went, and early in July came a letter from Stella. They were to go away for a summer holiday, after all, she wrote excitedly, and evidently im

What is there for me to do? Just go for walks with the kids, I s'pose; I'd quite as

the response he met with. "I only wish I was going there this summer. We were there two years ago; oh, m

cked up

down there. Oh, I do hope we go quite close to it. I'd like awfully t

once, too; the coffin was carried by the convicts all in thei

rers? Did you see any of those that are in Mad

ey were murderers, and burglars, and forgers, and all that sort of thing. I felt awfully sorry for them, but my mater hurried m

tedly. "I'd give anything to see the prisoners and th

t's an awfully fine place! There are wild cattle on the moor too, and they are no end of excitement; they go for you like anything if you rile them. You are in luck's way, old chap. I wish I was going too, instead of to some silly place in Norway where there'

ointment returning. "I wish we could change places then.

ed, each boy sticking up, of cou

he power of any ordinary boy to feel morose and sulky the day his school breaks up and he goes home for his summer holiday; and when the family join

ews had been listened to and school news told, "what is the name

ismay, "I should hate to be near convicts, I should be afraid of them. Sup

alk. But you know, dear, the poor creatures are well guarded and we shall be well guarded; and I want you to feel nothing but pity for the

ng said. But presently they grew tired of that subject, and turned their attention to the country through which they were hurrying, and the quaint little stations at which they stopped, where the one porter shouted such odd names in so fun

h a lovely land, or hundreds of sinful, unhappy men shut in b

s Row Tor, and there's

he people in the train stared at them, enviously the children thought, and the people on the platform looked with curiosity and interest at them, and their big pile of luggage. Then Stella and Michael and Mrs. Anketell were shown in to the funny lit

looked at the horse and cart, and everything about him, his tongue refused to be silent any longer, and a stream of questions was poured into the shy boy's ears. As they were nearly all questions he could answer he did

a big, big hill, in the near distance. He spoke in an off-hand casual s

Baycon be right 'way 'tother side of Dartymoor

h as Cawsand Beacon?" a

e bit," said the boy, "but i

"Let's drive on the grass," said Paul suddenly, "t'would be ever so much jollier than jolting along like this. Why don't yo

uicker by time us had hauled the 'orse and cart out

isn't one of the bogs that suck people right d

'way out to the very edge if they was quick, but a horse and cart wouldn't stand no chance. Don't you never go trying of it

at somebody light and small would try. After all, Dartmoor wasn't such a bad place, he admitted already. He would have something, anyh