be open----"

The labourer took the shilling with a grin, and held the horse while
the carrier mended the broken strap with string, but Dick said
hesitatingly, "I don't want a whole shilling just for _trying_ to hold
him, it's too much. But would you mind giving me a lift instead.
We're going to Weyn, and we've walked such a long way."

"With all the pleasure in life," said carrier Brown, good-naturedly.
"You want to get to fair, I suppose? Ah well, a fair's no good without
money to spend. So take this and jump up. Boxer will be all right
when he's had a bite from his nose-bag."

The inside of the van was like a cave, and the narrow seat that ran
round the inside was packed with country folks and their baskets and
parcels, going to the fair. Clean straw carpeted the floor, and a tiny
glass window at the back, six inches square, let in a few murky rays of
daylight. Two schoolboys shared the front seat with the driver, but he
made a few inches of room for Dick, and Pat snuggled down contentedly
at his feet.

The women inside talked loudly of their feelings when Boxer bolted, but
the driver still looked pale and anxious, and Dick, feeling shaken now
the strain was over, was very glad to lean back against the side and
rest. Mile after mile they rumbled on, leaving the canal with its
barges behind, and the low lying meadows with their fringes of elm and
willow.

Sometimes the way lay through narrow lanes, where the branches almost
met overhead, and the tangled hedgerows swept the canvas roof; and
sometimes the road wound upwards, and Boxer plodded from side to side
taking a zigzag course to ease the climbing, while Dick rested
luxuriously and dreamed of Ironboro'. Gradually the way became less
lonely, carts and waggons and droves of sheep were passed and houses
were more frequently seen by the wayside, and from these groups of
children came, talking joyously about the fair and counting their
pennies as they went along.

Half-a-mile from the little town they had to wait. A gaily painted
group of show waggons filled the roadway, for one of these had broken
down, and for a time nothing could pass by.

There was a great noise of talking and shouting orders, and one big
man, with tiny corkscrew curls of very black hair and silver rings in
his ears and a coat of faded velveteen, stood close by the carrier's
waggon and ordered others to do his bidding.

Pat was broad awake now, and when the carrier, seeing they w