ghted to lead him; whereupon the pony darted off with the old lady, and
stopped at the right house, leaving the old gentleman to come panting on
behind.

It was then that Kit presented himself at the pony's head, and touched his
hat with a smile.

"Why, bless me," cried the old gentleman, "the lad _is_ here! My dear, do
you see?"

"I said I'd be here, sir," said Kit, patting Whisker's neck. "I hope
you've had a pleasant ride, sir. He's a very nice little pony."

"My dear," said the old gentleman. "This is an uncommon lad; a good lad,
I'm sure."

"I'm sure he is," rejoined the old lady, "A very good lad, and I am sure
he is a good son."

Kit acknowledged these expressions of confidence by touching his hat again
and blushing very much. Then the old gentleman helped the old lady out,
and they went into the office--talking about him as they went, Kit could
not help feeling, and a few minutes later he was called in.

Kit entered in a great tremor, for he was not used to going among strange
ladies and gentlemen, and the tin boxes and bundles of dusty papers had in
his eyes an awful and a venerable air. Mr. Witherden, the notary, was a
bustling gentleman, who talked loud and fast.

"Well, boy," said Mr. Witherden, "you came to work out that shilling,--not
to get another, hey?"

"No indeed, sir," replied Kit, taking courage to look up. "I never thought
of such a thing."

"Now," said the old gentleman, Mr. Garland, when they had asked some
further questions of Kit, "I am not going to give you anything." "But," he
added, "perhaps I may want to know something more about you, so tell me
where you live."

Kit told him, and the old gentleman wrote down the address with his
pencil. He had scarcely done so, than there was a great uproar in the
street, and the old lady, hurrying to the window, cried that Whisker had
run away, upon which Kit darted out to the rescue, and the others
followed. Even in running away, however, Whisker was perverse, for he had
not gone far when he suddenly stopped. The old lady then stepped into her
seat, and Mr. Abel, her son, whom they had come to fetch, into his. The
old gentleman took his place also, and they drove away, more than once
turning to nod kindly to Kit, as he watched them from the road.

When Kit reached home, to his amazement he found the pony and his owners
there too.

"We are here before you, you see, Christopher," said Mr. Garland, smiling.

"Yes, sir," said Kit, and as he