rived. Show him
round."

A jovial and dirty face, with a two-days' growth of beard upon it, was
thrust out of a wagon, and a voice called out: "Come right in here,
mate. Glad to see yer. Bring your togs along."

Phil scrambled up the steep steps and into the wagon, where, having
grasped the hand extended to him, he looked round with some curiosity,
noticing with much interest the two neat little bunks, one above the
other, at the farther end, the diminutive table close to one
red-curtained window, and the stove on the other side, filled with paper
shavings of all colours, and gold tinsel, with its chimney of
brightly-polished brass.

"Queer little house, mate, ain't it?" sang out the man who went by the
name of Jim, busying himself with a pot of hot water and a shaving-brush
and soap.

"Yes, I've never been in a van of this sort before," said Phil. "It
looks comfortable, and at any rate must be a good shelter on wet
nights."

"That it is, mate, and you'll find it so precious soon. We start at
daylight to-morrow on a long trip to the south, and I tell yer it's
mighty pleasant to know as there's a warm fire, and a dry bed to get
into, when the water's coming down in buckets, and the wind's that cold
it freezes yer to the marrer."

Phil noted every little article in the van, and listened to the scrape,
scrape of the razor as Jim removed his bristles. When this operation
was completed, Jim took him round the horses, and having initiated him
into the mysterious duties of a stableman, invited him back to the wagon
to tea.

"Timms and I sleep here," he remarked, with his pipe firmly clenched
between his teeth, "and you'll put your rugs down on the floor. We'll
mess together, and you'll find that five bob a week joined to our two
fives will feed us well and leave the rest in our pockets. The other
chaps has their own messes. I'll take yer round to see them soon.
They're a queer lot; some has been sailors and soldiers, and some
anything at all. Others has been at this game all their lives. You'll
learn to know them all in a few days, and I'll give yer a hint--keep
clear of the rowdy ones. They soon gets the sack, for the boss is very
particular, and won't have no drinking and such like goings-on.

"Now about your job. What do you know of animals, and what class are
yer on top of a horse what ain't 'xactly a camel?"

"I am sorry to say I am hopelessly ignorant of the first," Phil
answered. "I've ridden