t him dubiously.

"Well, but y'aint goin' to tie hup no dorg on us for 'em, are yer? I
s'pose it's all right, though?"

"Right, yes," said Gordon. "It's for Mr. Grant, Old Man Grant,--you've
heard of Grant of Kuryong?"

"Never 'eard of him," said the aged man, "but it makes no hodds. Pay
when yer like. Yer'd better git on the coach, for I see the Hopal
Queen's ready for a start. Yer'll know her all right before long, I bet.
Some of the fellers from round about 'as come in to give her a send-off
like. There's the coach ready; yer'd better git aboard, and yer'll hear
the-the send-off like. Young Stacy out there reckons 'e's going to make
a speech."

Charlie and Carew climbed upon the coach. The fat lady kissed Pike's
wife and children with great solemnity. "Good-bye, Alice! Good-bye,
Nora darlin'," she said. Then she marched in a stately way towards the
vehicle, with the children forming a bodyguard round her. A group of
men hung about uneasily, looked sheepish, and waved large, helpless red
hands, till a young fellow about seven feet high--who looked more uneasy
and had even larger hands than the rest--was hustled forward, and began
to mutter something that nobody could hear.

"Speak up, George," said a friend. The young man raised his voice to a
shout, and said--

"And so I propose three cheers and long life to the Hopal Queen!"

As he spoke he ran two or three paces forward towards a stump, meaning,
no doubt, to get on it and lead the cheering; but, just as he was going
to jump, a wretched little mongrel that had been in and out among the
people's feet made a dash at him, fixed its teeth in the calf of his
leg, and ran away howling at its own temerity. The young giant rushed
after it, but the Opal Queen interposed.

"George," she said, "don't ye dare go for to kick my dog!"

"Well, what did he bite me for, then?" said the giant, speaking out now
in a voice that could be heard half a mile off. "What did he bite me
for?"

"Never mind, George! Don't ye go for to kick him, that's all."

The Opal Queen, snorting like a grampus, climbed into the coach;
the driver cracked his whip, and off they went, leaving the audience
spellbound, and the gigantic young man rubbing his leg. Soon Pike's
faded away in the distance. As the coach jolted along, Carew and Charlie
on the box seat occasionally peered in at the large swaying figure,
half-hidden in the dust.

About two miles out of town Considine, with all his earthly