Great Uncle Hoot-Toot

up the clothes he thought the most necessary and useful in an old carpet-bag he found in the box-room, and then he looked over his drawers a

a two-shilling piece, a shilling, a threepenny bit, and some coppers. It was enough to take him some hours' distance o

for perhaps the twentieth time, his watch told him it was past six. He got up and dressed, then he shouldered his bag, and made his way as quickly as he could downstairs

ent to bed, at three o'clock. You were sleeping so peacefully. I am sure you will be quite well again

ace harde

everything is so right that I, I, have to run away like

ingered

his sort of thing Geoff had but scant experience. His bag, too, felt very heavy; he glanced up and down the street with a vague idea that perhaps he would catch sight of some boy who, for a penny or two, would carry it for him to the omnibus; but there was no boy in sight. No one at all, indeed, except a young man, who crossed the street from th

g's a bit heavy for you. Let me take hold o

ully. He was too much of a Lo

nage it. I'm only going to the

g a day or two with a friend of mine who keeps a livery stable, and I'm off for the day to Shalecray, to see ano

more than half inclined to laugh at t

It's the one I come by. Isn't i

are six or seven as big as it in L

nd free. But he had not, for he had caught up the bag, and was walking along beside Geoff, and under his arm he carried a very substantial alpaca u

f, and when we get there I'll look up your place a

stranger, and as he did so,

deed, the young man's blue eyes, fresh complexion, and open ex

You see, London's a big place, and cou

er any one that's free to do as they like cares to live

where, I take it, sir," said

d to hailing the right one. And an omnibus rattling over London stones is not exactly the place for conve

el very hungry, and almos

f, are you? For I'm frightfully hungry. You don't mind waiting while I have some bre

t be making too free, I'd be pleased to join you. B

ff. "I don't mind

friendly over hot coffee and a rasher of bacon, and then Geoff laid o

. This place-Shalecray-is on the very line I'm going by. I wonder I

us," said the countryman. "And ar

de up my mind, to tell the truth. I know the count

n. "You want somewhere where they'll put you up tidi

out for-for some sort of situation about a farm. I'm very fond o

looked at him

But what do your friends say to it, sir? At sixteen, or

e no secret of it. I've no father,

body cares for me,' eh?" qu

ely breakfast, would come before him-of Elsa and Frances trying how to break to their mother the news that Geoff had really run away. "

find a place of some kind?"

me did scratch his hea

ir? Sixteen or sevente

nly fourteen," said Geo

ngly. "You'll be just the man for a country life when you're ful

uch of it as I'd like." He had never ridden in his life, except the p

ikes me my friend there, Farmer Eames, might likely enough know of something to suit you. He's a

r thinking of it. And you say it's possible-that this Fa

t's just a chance. I only said

y, then. I can go on farther later in the day if I don't find anything to suit me there. We

d he felt in his pockets one after the other-"if I haven't forgotten my 'bacca! With y

off; "I'll wait here

company of the very rustic-looking stranger. Besides, he though

co-pouch, he had not left the station! He only disappeared for a minute or tw

. Will report fur

e ensconced in a third-class carr

mpanion, unless he had undertaken to pay the difference. And as it was, the breakfast and his own third-class ticket had made a considerable hole in his th

nt very easily," he reflected. "It is evidentl

me he should have lighted upon the very person he needed to give him the particular information he was in want o