to bear it any more."

And he lingered no longer.

He made his way out of the house without difficulty. It was getting
light after a fashion by this time, though it was quite half an hour
earlier than he usually started for school. He felt chilly--chillier
than he had ever felt before, though it was not a very cold morning. But
going out breakfastless does not tend to make one feel warm, and of this
sort of thing Geoff had but scant experience. His bag, too, felt very
heavy; he glanced up and down the street with a vague idea that perhaps
he would catch sight of some boy who, for a penny or two, would carry it
for him to the omnibus; but there was no boy in sight. No one at all,
indeed, except a young man, who crossed the street from the opposite
side while Geoff was looking about him, and walked on slowly a little in
front. He was a very respectable-looking young man, far too much so to
ask him to carry the bag, yet as Geoff overtook him--for, heavy though
it was, the boy felt he must walk quickly to get off as fast as
possible--the young man glanced up with a good-natured smile.

"Excuse me, sir," he said civilly, "your bag's a bit heavy for you. Let
me take hold of it with you, if we're going the same way."

Geoffrey looked at him doubtfully. He was too much of a Londoner to make
friends hastily.

"Thank you," he said. "I can manage it. I'm only going to the corner to
wait for the omnibus."

"Just precisely what I'm going to do myself," said the other. "I'm quite
a stranger hereabouts. I've been staying a day or two with a friend of
mine who keeps a livery stable, and I'm off for the day to Shalecray, to
see another friend. Can you tell me, sir, maybe, if the omnibus that
passes near here takes one to the railway station?"

"Which railway station?" said Geoff, more than half inclined to laugh at
the stranger's evident countrifiedness.

"Victoria Station, to be sure. It's the one I come by. Isn't it the big
station for all parts?"

"Bless you! no," said Geoff. "There are six or seven as big as it in
London. What line is this place on?"

"That's more nor I can say," said the stranger, looking as if he would
have scratched his head to help him out of his perplexity if he had
had a hand free. But he had not, for he had caught up the bag, and
was walking along beside Geoff, and under his arm he carried a very
substantial alpaca umbrella. And in the interest of the conversation
Geoff had scarcely noticed the wa