d and as such I treated it with dignified silence.

We were presently rolling away through the peaceful, sunlit countryside
at an exhilarating speed, and I, little dreaming of what was in store
for me and believing all our troubles were now behind us, felt tempted
to indulge myself in the luxury of drawing several deep breaths of
relief. However, fresh distractions occurred. I was much annoyed to
discern among the remaining lads a romping and disorderly spirit, which
I was at pains to discourage, at first by shakes of the head and frowns,
and ultimately by expressions of open reproof, such as "Tut! Tut!" and
"Pray be done, young gentlemen! I beseech you to be done."

To me it appeared that certain of the adult passengers, by covert signs
and sounds of approval, were actually abetting and encouraging the
urchins in their misbehaviour. Master Pope, alone of all his fellows,
maintained a suitable deportment. As he sat demurely behind me I
observed him in the act of imitating my gestures of reproof to his less
decorous comrades--a manifestation of the emulative spirit which
gratified me no little.

I own that I was much rejoiced to hear the verbal announcement of the
conductor's assistant--known, I believe, as the brakeman--that
Hatchersville would be the next stopping place. True enough, the train,
as though to confirm his words, stopped almost immediately. As we left
the car, myself bringing up the rear and bearing the flag in addition to
my other belongings, some slight delay was occasioned by the flagstaff
getting crosswise in the door opening. As, with the brakeman's good
offices, I succeeded in dislodging it from its horizontal position, a
voice behind me called out, "Good-bye, little Tut-tut!" which offensive
remark was at once caught up by others.

I framed a fitting and, I think, a crushing retort, but before I had
entirely completed it in my own mind the cars had moved on and I found
myself standing with my diminished troop on the platform, surrounded by
a staring ring of rustics of all ages and conditions.

For some reason these persons appeared to labour under the impression
that we constituted some sort of travelling amusement enterprise. One of
them, a person of elderly aspect, asked me what kind of medicine I was
selling, and a number of small boys requested me to shoot with my bow
and arrows for their delectation. Disregarding these impertinences, I
enquired of the elderly man how one might best reach Ha