ace and looked about him; and now
darting at full speed up a bye-street as he caught a glimpse of some
distant horseman going lazily up the shady side of the road, and
promising to stop, at every door. But on they all went, one after
another, and there was not a penny stirring. 'I wonder,' thought the
boy, 'if one of these gentlemen knew there was nothing in the cupboard
at home, whether he'd stop on purpose, and make believe that he wanted
to call somewhere, that I might earn a trifle?'

He was quite tired out with pacing the streets, to say nothing of
repeated disappointments, and was sitting down upon a step to rest,
when there approached towards him a little clattering jingling
four-wheeled chaise' drawn by a little obstinate-looking rough-coated
pony, and driven by a little fat placid-faced old gentleman. Beside
the little old gentleman sat a little old lady, plump and placid like
himself, and the pony was coming along at his own pace and doing
exactly as he pleased with the whole concern. If the old gentleman
remonstrated by shaking the reins, the pony replied by shaking his
head. It was plain that the utmost the pony would consent to do, was
to go in his own way up any street that the old gentleman particularly
wished to traverse, but that it was an understanding between them that
he must do this after his own fashion or not at all.

As they passed where he sat, Kit looked so wistfully at the little
turn-out, that the old gentleman looked at him. Kit rising and putting
his hand to his hat, the old gentleman intimated to the pony that he
wished to stop, to which proposal the pony (who seldom objected to that
part of his duty) graciously acceded.

'I beg your pardon, sir,' said Kit. 'I'm sorry you stopped, sir. I
only meant did you want your horse minded.'

'I'm going to get down in the next street,' returned the old gentleman.
'If you like to come on after us, you may have the job.'

Kit thanked him, and joyfully obeyed. The pony ran off at a sharp
angle to inspect a lamp-post on the opposite side of the way, and then
went off at a tangent to another lamp-post on the other side. Having
satisfied himself that they were of the same pattern and materials, he
came to a stop apparently absorbed in meditation. 'Will you go on,
sir,' said the old gentleman, gravely, 'or are we to wait here for you
till it's too late for our appointment?'

The pony remained immoveable.

'Oh you naughty Whisker,' said th