Up the Hill and Over
to Wombleton i
to Wimbleton is
leton to
leton to
to Wimbleton-is
y dusty. He was very hot. The way from Wimbleton to Wombleton seemed suddenly extraordinarily long and tiresome. The slop
her down the slope, and stretched at full length upon it, lay
ps relaxed in an
ount of the dust in his throat, "little boy, can
the little
blige me with the exact distance to Wombleton," h
the pool. Only a convulsive wiggle intended to
smayed eyes, watching through the cover of some long grass, he was clearly a person devoid of all fine feeling. Or
latter point, the small boy's head shot
nt?" he asked
stranger, "I thank yo
sed, but quickl
anywhere?" asked
ittle boy, but
hat the small boy
, sometime known as Wombleton. The question is, which way and how? A simple sum in arithmetic will-
he badgered one attem
child, what I really want to know
erly neglected. "Aw, what yeh givin' us?" he protested sheepishly, "if it's C
ou mean 'hollow,' which being interpreted means 'valley,' which mean
op
disfavour, "good-day to you. I perceive that you grow impatient for those aquatic pleasures for which you
mall boy, "gee, ain't
suspected the stranger of being one. Still, discretion is a wise thing and word-slinging is undoubtedly a form of art much used in high scholastic circles. Also there had been a remark about a simple sum in a
o hurry, and there will be other occasions upon which he will appear to better advantage. At present let us be content with knowing that there was no reason for the hat an
ps real tramps do not feel like this. Perhaps they enjoy walking. At any rate they do not carry k
he property of growing heavier, and prove of little use save to sit upon in damp places. The doctor's feelings in regard to his were intensified by an utter lack of dampness anywhere. The top of the hill was a sun-crowned eminence, blazingly, blisteringly, suffocatingl
breeze. Raising his hand to remove his hat, he noticed that the hand was trembling, and swore softly. The hand continued to trem
. "Not a moment too
and, he starte
twisted and turned and thought better of it a dozen times in half a mile. It was a hill with short cuts favourably known to small boys and to tramps with a distaste for highways; but this tramp, not being a re
oment their normal clearness of vision, he saw, a short way down the road, a gate; and through the gate and behind some trees, the white gleam of a building. But better than all, he saw, between the gate and the building, a red pump! Th
a delightful "plop!" It splashed from the spout freely upon the face and hands of the victim of the long hill-delicious, life-giving! The delight it brought seemed compensation almost
pump!" said a crisp voice primly. "This is
s semi-blindness, stood the owner of the voice. She appeared to be clothed in white, tall and commanding.
l with nice precision, "is no
id the p
oice went on, "you will find, when you reac
than ever, sat down upon the pum
said wisely, "is simple. I c
go at once," patient
n raised a de
ox and a John Collins in town. You doubtless know the situation created by Mahomet and the mountain? This is the same, with a differenc
in, closing his eyes to the cool drip of the water, but scarcely had they felt its chill relief when a sharp bark caused them to fly open with disconcerting
but it is my duty not to allow tramps upon these
aching head the tramp (now no l
m!" he entreated. "He lo
ceive that my presence
n to r
like a proper tramp. But forgetting himself, under the tyranny of training and instinct, he attempted, in deference to the sex of the angel, to raise his hat (which was not on his head anyway). In so doing