my father's when he spoke to
him, his genial, kindly, manner, perfect physical health, and the air he
had of being on the best possible terms with himself and every one
else--the combination of all this so overmastered my poor father (who
indeed had been sufficiently mastered before he had been five minutes in
George's company) that he resigned himself as gratefully to being a
basket, as George had cheerfully undertaken the task of carrying him.

In passing I may say that George could never get his own boots back
again, though he tried more than once to do so. My father always made
some excuse. They were the only memento of George that he brought home
with him; I wonder that he did not ask for a lock of his hair, but he did
not. He had the boots put against a wall in his bedroom, where he could
see them from his bed, and during his illness, while consciousness yet
remained with him, I saw his eyes continually turn towards them. George,
in fact, dominated him as long as anything in this world could do so. Nor
do I wonder; on the contrary, I love his memory the better; for I too, as
will appear later, have seen George, and whatever little jealousy I may
have felt, vanished on my finding him almost instantaneously gain the
same ascendancy over me his brother, that he had gained over his and my
father. But of this no more at present. Let me return to the gaol in
Sunch'ston.

"Tell me more," said George, "about the Professors."

My father told him about the nuggets, the sale of his kit, the receipt he
had given for the money, and how he had got the nuggets back from a tree,
the position of which he described.

"I know the tree; have you got the nuggets here?"

"Here they are, with the receipt, and the pocket handkerchief marked with
Hanky's name. The pocket handkerchief was found wrapped round some dried
leaves that we call tea, but I have not got these with me." As he spoke
he gave everything to George, who showed the utmost delight in getting
possession of them.

"I suppose the blanket and the rest of the kit are still in the tree?"

"Unless Hanky and Panky have got them away, or some one has found them."

"This is not likely. I will now go to my office, but I will come back
very shortly. My grandfather shall bring you something to eat at once. I
will tell him to send enough for two"--which he accordingly did.

On reaching the office, he told his next brother (whom he had made an
under-ranger) to go to