Tales of St. Austin's

ound, answered admirably. Running became easier. He had worked the stiffness out of his legs by this time, and was going well. Three hundred yards from the station it was anybody's race.

ce for a few yards, thought that he heard a distant whistle, and dashed on again. Suddenly a raucous bell

cle. They were of the type which he held in especial aversion, the Rural Hooligan type, and one at least of the two had evidently been present at a recent circulation of the festive bowl. He was wheeling the bicycle about the road in an aimless manner, and looked as if he wondered what was the matter with it that it would not stay in the same place for two consecutiv

learn to ride on a lady's machine than on a gentleman's. The former offers greater facilities for rapid dismounting, a quality not to be despised in the earlier stages of initiation. But, though this is undoubtedly the case, and though Charteris knew that it was so, yet he felt instinctively that there was something wrong here. Hooligans of twenty years and twelve stone do not learn to ride on small ladies' machines, or, if they do, it is probably without the permission of the small lady who owns the same. Valuable as his time was, Charteris felt that it behoved him to spend a thoughtful minute or so examining into this affair. He slowed down once again to a walk, and, as he did so, his eye fell upon th

friend' uttered a shout of disapproval and rushed into the fray. Charteris gave him the straight left, of the type to which the great John Jackson is reported to have owed so much in the days of the old Prize Ring, and Charles, taking it between the eyes, stopped in a discouraged and discontented manner, and began to rub the place. Whereupon Charteris dashed in, and, to use an expression suitable to the deed, 'swung his right at the mark'. The 'mark', it may be explained for the benefit of the non-pugilistic, is that portion of the anatomy which lies hid behind the third button of the human waistcoat. It covers-in a most inadequate way-the wind, and even a gentle tap in the locality is apt to produce a fleeting sense of discomfort. A genuin

as they walked on slowly togeth

lly,' said t

elt he had said the right thing there. Your real hero alwa

e added triumphantly afte

wfully plucky. I noticed. But hadn't you

to get to

is road, as straight as ever you can go. But, look here, you know, you

e. She bent down and in

t you out alone,' said C

y didn't.

ad not let him. He had come. Here was a kindred spirit, another revolutionary soul, scorning th

said, 'I'm in ju

ok hands

'I'm awfully sorry I did it

id Charteris, 'I'm rath

shall be sorr

u be sen

't thi

e to learn be

ably

you won't have to learn poetry and you won't get sent

Then a faint rumbling, which increased in volume steadily. Charteris looked back. The railway line ran by the side of the road. He could see the smoke of

eat Scott, here comes

You keep s

soon adapted themselves to the strain, and in ten seconds he was sprinting as fast as he had ever sprin

e said, 'it's

yards to go, exclusive of the station's steps, and he was already running as fast as it lay in him to run. Now there were only ten. Now five. And at last, with a hurried farewell to his compa

ings at Rutton, cheerfully. He spoke as if he was congratu

next?' pante

was the porter's

t-thirty! Then was he indeed lost. But it couldn't be tru

said. 'Surely there'

he porter gleefully, 'b

he only 'un what

loom, 'I don't think that'll be much g

ve to walk it. Walk it! He didn't believe he could. The strangers' mile, followed by the Homeric combat with the two Hooligans and that ghastly sprint to wind up with, had left him decidedly unfit for further feats of pedestrianism. And it was eight miles to Stapleton, if it was a yard, and another mile from Stapleton to St Austin's. Charteris, having once more invoked the name of his aunt, pulled himself together with an effort,

Doctor, pulling up his hors

Charteris, 'and I'll te

I ge

ng. Plent

seat with a sigh of pleasure. What glorious comfo

-cart went on again. 'This is how it a

forthwith upon