A Great Emergency and Other Tales

from home, and Fred and I had more than once been to see a barge pass it, sitt

e went down and down, though I must say we did

said Fred, "and we were settling down with all on

use or hamlet would appear. We betted shillings on the result, but neither of us won o

ssed one soon after tea, where the horse rested under some old willows by the towing-path, and we and Mr. Rowe went ashore. Whilst the barge-master delivered a parcel to a friend, Fred and I strolled into a lane which led us past cottages with very gay gardens to the church. The church was not at all like S.

walking would be nice for a change, and I don't believe it would be much slower than the barge, and it would be so much shad

; "and if we keep on we must get there in time. And we can ge

said, "Which is the way to London, if you ple

say?" sai

ted my

him very stupid if he had met him as a native in one of the islands of the Pacific, I am sure;

's always a-going to Lunnon," said he. Visions of a companion on our tramp-also perhaps in search of a

us, and we had to try and seem glad to

h fishers of all ages and degrees, fishing very p

we reached the t

se away to the stable, Mr. Rowe confronted us, in his firmest manner,

leep, Mr. Rowe?" said I,

uv up to no one-unless it be the Queen," repl

e to sleep on

eases which he assured us would be contracted by sleeping "in the dam

"We couldn't afford a hotel, but if you know of

tables, and with a card announcing that there were beds to let. A very little old woman got up from behind a very big old geranium in the window as we entered, and with her Mr. Rowe made our arrangements for the night. We got a clean bed, and had a mug of milk and a

in to London. But besides the fact that our funds were becoming low, the water had a new attraction for u

is hat on in the gusty street (mine was in use as a fruit-basket), and the barge-master said it was a "nice fresh morning," I felt th

and when Mr. Rowe wrestled with it and the driver helped him, and Fred and I tried to, and were all but swept overboard in consequence, whilst the barge-master encouraged himse

ething like