"I should like to see the baby again and little Susy," said Dick, "but
I could never go back."

"I should think not! Why, you've nearly doubled since you've had
decent living and no nagging."

Next day, with Mr. Dainton's kind help, Paddy got work. Trade was
specially good in Ironboro', and his honest face carried its own
recommendation. That summer Teddy persuaded Dick to join the boys'
cricket club in connection with the Sunday School the Daintons
attended. On Sundays he and Paddy always sat together in the game
church.

The Sunday's rest and the games in the marshes were a great means of
health, after the heat of the Works and the close study of other
evenings.

Out in the fresh air with other boys listening to Teddy's fun or
Paddy's latest joke his face lost the pinched and anxious look it had
worn at Venley.

He grew tall and strong, and as he threw his heart into play as keenly
as into work, he soon became an important member of the club's junior
eleven.

But though he enjoyed the play as much as anyone he never lost sight of
his aim to become a clever engineer, and many a half-hour was stolen
from sleep for his books and drawing and models.

Mrs. Garth sometimes said he ate and drank and dreamed engines, his
thoughts were so filled with the work done at Lisle and Co.'s.

But the months went by with no other tidings from his uncle, though
Dick never forgot to pray for his return.

When his apprenticeship was halfway through he went with Teddy for a
long ramble one summer evening.

Beyond the marshes the road skirted a belt of stunted woodland. This
was Pat's happy hunting ground, though he never found any rabbits
there. Running in and out of the tangled bushes they heard him begin
to bark loudly, and then he rushed back to his master in great
excitement and tried to hurry them on, and following quickly they left
the road and plunged into the undergrowth. And there, under the
shelter of a clump of elder, they saw a man, unconscious, on the ground.

He looked like a tramp, his clothes were so old and broken, and his
face was deadly pale. Teddy looked scared and suggested going for the
police, but Dick had more courage.

He remembered a little stream that ran through the Dingle not far away,
and fetching some water in his cap he bathed the man's face.

Presently there was a feeble movement, and then the stranger opened his
eyes and looked up at Dick, who was bending anxiously over him. And