k here, my boy," the woman said to Ralph. "If you feel underneath
my feet you will find a basket, and at the top there is an empty
bottle. There will be just time for you to jump down and get it filled
for me. A shilling's worth of brandy, and filled up with water. That
girl Eliza flustered me so much with her worritting and questions
before I started that I had not time to fill it."

Ralph jumped down and procured the desired refreshment, and was just
in time to clamber up to his seat again when the coach started. He
enjoyed the rapid motion and changing scene much, but he was not sorry
when--as evening was coming on--he saw ahead of him a dull mist, which
his fellow-passenger told him was the smoke of London.

It was nine in the evening when the coach drove into the courtyard of
the Bull Inn. The guard, who had received instructions from Mrs.
Conway, at once gave Ralph and his box into the charge of one of the
porters awaiting the arrival of the coach, and told him to take the
box to the inn from which the coach for Weymouth started in the
morning. Cramped by his fourteen hours' journey Ralph had at first
some difficulty in following his conductor through the crowded street,
but the stiffness soon wore off, and after ten minutes walking he
arrived at the inn.

The guard had already paid the porter, having received the money for
that purpose from Mrs. Conway; and the latter setting down the box in
the passage at once went off. Ralph felt a little forlorn, and
wondered what he was to do next. But a minute later the landlady came
out from the bar.

"Do you want a bed?" she asked. "The porter should have rung the bell.
I am afraid we are full, unless it has been taken beforehand. However,
I will see if I can make shift somehow."

"I should be very much obliged if you can," Ralph said; "for I don't
know anything about London, and am going on by the Weymouth coach in
the morning."

"Oh, might your name be Conway?"

"Yes, that is my name," Ralph said, surprised.

"Ah, then there is a bedroom taken for you. A gentleman came three
days ago and took it, saying it was for a young gent who is going
through to Weymouth. Tom," she called, "take this box up to number 12.
Supper is ready for you, sir. I dare say you would like a wash first?"

"That I should," Ralph replied, following the boots upstairs.

In a few minutes he returned, and a waiter directed him to the
coffee-room. In a short time a supper consisting of fish