hether you have seen (or, it may be assisted to conceal) a small boy of
intelligent appearance----"

"Why should we conceal small boys of intelligent appearance about us,
pray?" demanded the man who had described his visit to Mincing Lane.
"And may we ask you to shut that door, and make any communications you
wish to make through the window, or else come in and sit down?"

"That's not an answer to my question, sir," retorted the Doctor. "I
notice you carefully decline to say whether you have seen a boy. I
consider your manner suspicious, sir; and I shall insist on searching
this carriage through and through till I find that boy!"

Mr. Bultitude rolled himself up close against the partition at these
awful words.

"Guard, guard!" shouted the first gentleman. "Come here. Here's a
violent person who will search this carriage for something he has lost.
I won't be inconvenienced in this way without any reason whatever! He
says we're hiding a boy in here!"

"Guard!" said the Doctor, quite as angrily, "I insist upon looking under
these seats before you start the train. I've looked through every other
carriage and he must be in here. Gentlemen, let me pass, I'll get him if
I have to travel in this compartment to town with you!"

"For peace and quietness sake, gentlemen," said the guard, "let him look
round, just to ease his mind. Lend me your stick a minute, sir, please.
I'll turn him out if he's anywhere about this here compartment!"

And with this he pulled Dr. Grimstone down from the footboard and
mounted it himself; after which he began to rummage about under the
seats with the Doctor's heavy stick.

Every lunge found out some tender part in Mr. Bultitude's person and
caused him exquisite torture; but he clenched his teeth hard to prevent
a sound, while he thought each fresh dig must betray his whereabouts.

"There," said the guard at last; "there really ain't no one there, sir,
you see. I've felt everywhere and---- Hello, I certainly did feel
something just then, gentlemen!" he added, in an undertone, after a
lunge which took all the breath out of Paul's body. All was lost now!

"You touch that again with that confounded stick if you dare!" said one
of the passengers. "That's a parcel of mine. I won't have you poking
holes through it in that way. Don't tell that lunatic behind you, he'll
be wanting it opened to see if his boy's inside! Now perhaps you'll let
us alone!"

"Well, sir," said the guard at last to the