him, do
you?"

"Why not?" asked Kinch, taking up the bag and carrying it into the house.
"It's just the thing to take into the country; Charlie can fatten him and
sell him for a lot of money."

It was as much as Mrs. Ellis could do to convince Charlie and Kinch of the
impracticability of their scheme of carrying off to Warmouth the pig in
question. She suggested, as it was the exclusive property of Kinch, and he
was so exceedingly anxious to make Charlie a parting gift, that she should
purchase it, which she did, on the spot; and Kinch invested all the money
in a large cross-bow, wherewith Charlie was to shoot game sufficient to
supply both Kinch and his own parents. Had Charlie been on his way to the
scaffold, he could not have been followed by a more solemn face than that
presented by Kinch as he trudged on with him in the rear the porter who
carried the trunk.

"I wish you were not going," said he, as he put his arm affectionately over
Charlie's shoulder, "I shall be so lonesome when you are gone; and what is
more, I know I shall get licked every day in school, for who will help me
with my sums?"

"Oh, any of the boys will, they all like you, Kinch; and if you only study
a little harder, you can do them yourself," was Charlie's encouraging
reply.

On arriving at the boat, they found. Mrs. Bird waiting for them; so Charlie
hastily kissed his mother and sisters, and made endless promises not to be
mischievous, and, above all, to be as tidy as possible. Then tearing
himself away from them, and turning to Kinch, he exclaimed, "I'll be back
to see you all again soon, so don't cry old fellow;" and at the same time
thrusting his hand into his pocket, he drew out a number of marbles, which
he gave him, his own lips quivering all the while. At last his attempts to
suppress his tears and look like a man grew entirely futile, and he cried
heartily as Mrs. Bird took his hand and drew him on board the steamer.

As it slowly moved from the pier and glided up the river, Charlie stood
looking with tearful eyes at his mother and sisters, who, with Kinch, waved
their handkerchiefs as long as they could distinguish him, and then he saw
them move away with the crowd.

Mrs. Bird, who had been conversing with a lady who accompanied her a short
distance on her journey, came and took her little _protege_ by the hand,
and led him to a seat near her in the after part of the boat, informing
him, as she did so, that they would shortly