Great Uncle Hoot-Toot

travelled; so, though the distance from London was really short, it took them fully two hours to reach their destination. And two hours on a raw drizzly November morning is quite a

out at last, and were making their way down a very muddy, but r

the country

n looked at

a tone which made Geoff glance at him in surprise. Somehow in the last few words the countryman's acce

id Geoff. "You said you were

ot often as a Londoner takes to it as you do, and it's not to say lively at

o himself that if he were to remark on the mud it would not be sur

be as well for you to leave your bag at the station. I'll see that it's all right; and as you're not sure of stopping at Crickwood, there

o take in what he said. The boy stood looking after him vaguely. He was beginning to feel

bag, I just can't help it," he thought. "

he young man's cheery face as he hast

chance you hit it off with Mr. Eames, the milk-cart that comes

f. As they went on, the country grew decidedly pretty, or perhaps it would be more correct to say one saw that in summer and pleasant weather it mus

here?" he asked sudde

t hes

lace-we'll pass by the park wall in a minute; it's the place that Eames's should by rights be the home farm to, so to say. But it's been empty for a many years. The family d

y, without climbing the wall, for which he felt no energy. But a little farther on they came

which at one side extended into a fringe skirting the park for miles apparently, till it melted in the distance into a r

bourhood had destroyed a sort of misgiving that had somehow come over h

g loudly, as if Geoff's remark had been a ver

when one is a gentleman, are all a matter of chance, as you know. If my fathe

rned to him r

ent line from that. Farmer Eames, or farmer nobody, wouldn't engage a farm hand that expected

nless, indeed, he gave it all up and went back home again to eat humble pie, and live on Great-Uncle Hoot-Toot's bounty, and go to some horrid school of his choosing, and be more "bullied" (so h

. You must tell Farmer Eames he'l

you'll excuse me, I'd bes

f no

ce now;" and as he spoke he looked about him scrutinizingly. "Ten minutes past the back way through the park you'll come to a lane on the l

e afraid of getting into any trouble if he takes me on. I've no

the lane just th

go on a bit in front. I think it would be just as

f. "I'll come on slowl

ou can't miss it. But I'll c

What should he do if Farmer Eames could not take him on? he began to ask himself; he really felt as if it would be impossible for him to set off on his t

yway. If it was summer-haymaking-time, for instance, I suppose it would be easy enough to get work. But now--" and he shivered as he gazed over the bare, dreary, lifeless-looking fields on all sides, where it was difficult

y back to the station? And if so, where would he go, what should he do? It had all seemed so easy when he planned it at home-he had felt so sure he would find what he wanted at once; he had somehow forgotten it would no longer be summer when h

an," thought Geoff, "

time the two men had come up to him his

ked at him

Jim Jeffreys as I've been a-talking to you of, Mr.

"seems a well-grown lad, but looks d

ne up with-with one thing and another. We made a

r grunted

ing if he was to be any use to me," he said half-g

arly," he said quickly. "I'm n

o drive the milk-cart to and fro the station. There's four sendings in all-full and empty

tle. But it would no

punctual,

dairy, and the pigs-you'd have to see to the pigs, and to make yourself u

could, though, truth to tell, the idea of pi

eing as I'm just short of a boy as it happens. And for the station work, it's well to have a sh

slight touch of haughtiness. "Of course I'l

e. "'Twon't be all walking on roses-nay, 'twon't be all walking on roses to be odd boy in a far

indeed. I think it's awfully good of you to

er, speaking again to Jowett. "Can you answer

by Jowett, forced him to be quiet. "Don't be an idiot! do you want to spoil all your chances?" he said. And something in

t score," he said. "You see it's all com

said the farmer, shrugging h

etch a point or two. Of course he'll want

r three months certain-I'm not going to be thrown out of a boy at the orkardest time of the year f

looked

ll," sai

ou can manage it well enough, and Sunday school, too, if

Geoff. Sundays at worst had

r themselves on Sundays no more than any other day. An

I'm used to church," he added, "but I thin

e may as well see if dinner's not ready. It's quite time, and you'll

igh in your manners to-day, Eames,"

on, leaving Geoff to follow. Nothi

xpected to dine with