nd taking leave of the school porter, I
turned to resume my journey to Round Green.

In the heat of the moment I had not paid much attention to the doubt
expressed by Sparrow as to my reaching the inn in time to catch the
coach, but now I began to wonder myself whether the thing could be
done. Nowadays every boy has a watch; then they were a rarer
possession. I had no means of telling the time, but guessed we had
none to spare.

On I went, the man with the box trudging behind me. It soon became
evident that, burdened as he was, he could not keep up with me unless I
moderated my pace; and at length, when we reached the top of a rather
stiff hill, he was obliged to stop and put down the trunk, in order to
rest and regain his breath.

The sunshine sparkled on the frosted trees and hedges. It was one of
those clear, still winter mornings when sounds carry a long distance,
and as we waited there came to our ears the far-off "toot-toot" of a
horn. It was the coach signalling its approach to Round Green. I
sprang to my feet, and abandoning my box to its fate, rushed off along
the road, with some wild notion of stopping the coach and leaving word
for my luggage to be sent on. But I might as well have attempted to
overtake the vehicle which had carried off my companions on the
previous day. The inn was still more than a mile distant, and when at
length, flushed and panting, I arrived in front of the building, the
only trace to be seen of the _Regulator_ was a glimpse of the steaming
horses, which had worked the last stage, being led away by an hostler
in the direction of the stables. Accustomed though I was to take hard
knocks at school, I must say that I could have sat down and cried with
vexation. Pulling myself together, I walked into the house, and there
encountering Peter Judson, the landlord, and his wife, a stout,
good-natured body, who always took a kindly interest in us boys, in a
few words I related exactly what had happened.

"What stuff and nonsense not allowing him to go home with the rest!"
exclaimed Mrs. Judson. "It just serves that old Dr. Bagley right, his
chaise being broken!--Well, my dear," she continued, "I don't see
there's anything to be done but for you to go back, and make a fresh
start again to-morrow. The butcher will pass in about an hour's time;
he is going Ashbridge way, and would take you along with him in his
cart."

"Oh, I'm not going back," I answered doggedly. "Look here," I