His heart beating loud with dismay;
While Charlie, and Peter, and Fred
Cried, 'Isn't Tom valiant to-day?'
And the boy shook with laughter to see Tom in flight,
For he knew that fine words never drive away fright!

D. B. M.

THE BOY TRAMP.

(_Continued from page 87._)

CHAPTER XI.

The blacksmith, a tall, broad-shouldered man, wearing a leather apron,
stood at the door with a hammer in his right hand, his shop being a kind
of barn beneath a tall elm-tree, directly opposite the narrow lane, with
a board signifying that it was a footpath to Barton. It was exactly the
place I should have selected in order to get away from the main road had
I known of its existence.

'Has the motor-car gone?' I inquired, stopping in front of the
blacksmith's.

'Don't see much sign of it, do you?' he answered, rather gruffly.

'How long ago did it start?' I asked.

'About a quarter of an hour,' said the smith, and I saw that it would be
useless to think of following it in the hope of overtaking Jacintha.
Perhaps it was just as well, as she had suggested that her uncle might
take me forcibly back to Mr. Turton, whose eagerness to bring me once
more to Castlemore still furnished matter for surprise.

But still, even if I ran some risk, I was determined to lose no time in
returning the locket to its owner, who had certainly done me a good
turn. My direction, which a little while ago had appeared uncertain, was
now decided for me, and henceforth, instead of directing my steps
towards London, I aimed at reaching Hazleton, whence the journey could
be continued with greater safety from pursuit.

'Can you tell me how far it is to Hazleton?' I asked before moving on
from the smithy.

'Jim,' cried the blacksmith, turning towards a man who was hammering a
horse-shoe, 'here's the champion walker wants to know how far to
Hazleton.'

'About thirty miles,' said Jim.

'Which is the way?' I demanded.

'Bear to your left till you come to the main road,' said the smith,
'then take the left again.'

Having thanked the man, I walked on, still looking sharply out for Mr.
Turton's cab, until I came to a small village with a green, on which a
few boys were playing cricket. Here there were two forked roads, and
after staying five minutes to watch the game, I followed that to the
left. I took the precaution to place the locket in my empty watch-pocket
for greater safety, and as I left the village behind, I took ou