to walk up one, and, after one such
walk, my companion stopped, unfastened his haversack, and took out a
cloth cap.

'Think you could wear that?' he asked, and, trying it on, I found it was
only slightly too big.

'Thank you most awfully,' I said as we rode on again, and then we did
not stop until we reached four cross-roads. Seeing the word
'Polehampton' on a finger-post, I perceived that I had returned to the
road from Castlemore to London, which I had left to cross the fields in
my futile endeavour to avoid the tramp. It was true that I had made a
fairly wide circuit, for my new friend told me I should still have five
miles to walk to Polehampton.

'I am immensely obliged to you for the lift and--and everything,' I
said, as he seemed to be on the point of starting. I felt extremely
reluctant to part from him.

'That is all right,' he answered, thrusting his hand in his
knickerbocker pocket. 'This may help you on your way.' He put something
into my hand as he pressed it, then, without another word, mounted his
bicycle and rode away. Opening my hand, I found five two-shilling
pieces. For the next few yards I did not see things very clearly, for I
felt too thankful.

After looking back once or twice until he was out of sight, I set out in
a business-like manner to walk the five miles to Polehampton. The events
of the morning had filled me with fresh courage, and now that my face
was once set towards London, earlier hopes began to reawaken. I should
have liked to know my companion's name, to keep in my memory with that
of Mr. Baker and Eliza, but I never saw or heard of him again. Still, I
have not forgotten him or the good turn he did me, and I wish that this
story might come into his hands to show that I am not ungrateful.

Having passed through so much in a short time, I was inclined to expect
every mile to bring forth its own peculiar adventure, but Polehampton
came into sight without any remarkable occurrence. I scarcely enjoyed
the walk, as my legs ached more than ever, and I rested many times by
the roadside.

To-day being Friday, I determined, on the strength of my ten shillings,
to look for a cheap temperance hotel, or some place of the kind, and
make a bargain with the proprietor to stay over Saturday and Sunday.
This would give me time to rest and make myself a little more
presentable, because, in my present muddy condition, I knew that it
would be impossible to obtain any kind of work.

For that w