in baskets, and
others with wooden trays full of joints of meat.

Unfortunately, the wood paving ceased at the very place where the
ground began to rise. Bert now found himself at the beginning of a
long stretch of macadamized road which rose slightly and persistently
throughout its whole length. Bert had pushed a cart up this road many
times before and consequently knew the best method of tackling it.
Experience had taught him that a full frontal attack on this hill was
liable to failure, so on this occasion he followed his usual plan of
making diagonal movements, crossing the road repeatedly from right to
left and left to right, after the fashion of a sailing ship tacking
against the wind, and halting about every twenty yards to rest and take
breath. The distance he was to go was regulated, not so much by his
powers of endurance as by the various objects by the wayside--the
lamp-posts, for instance. During each rest he used to look ahead and
select a certain lamp-post or street corner as the next stopping-place,
and when he start again he used to make the most strenuous and
desperate efforts to reach it.

Generally the goal he selected was too distant, for he usually
overestimated his strength, and whenever he was forced to give in he
ran the truck against the kerb and stood there panting for breath and
feeling profoundly disappointed at his failure.

On the present occasion, during one of these rests, it flashed upon him
that he was being a very long time: he would have to buck up or he
would get into a row: he was not even half-way up the road yet!

Selecting a distant lamp-post, he determined to reach it before resting
again.

The cart had a single shaft with a cross-piece at the end, forming the
handle: he gripped this fiercely with both hands and, placing his chest
against it, with a mighty effort he pushed the cart before him.

It seemed to get heavier and heavier every foot of the way. His whole
body, but especially the thighs and calves of his legs, pained
terribly, but still he strained and struggled and said to himself that
he would not give in until he reached the lamp-post.

Finding that the handle hurt his chest, he lowered it to his waist, but
that being even more painful he raised it again to his chest, and
struggled savagely on, panting for breath and with his heart beating
wildly.

The cart became heavier and heavier. After a while it seemed to the
boy as if there were someone at the f