ear horse he gave the glossy dark mane one
last pat; then, with a little sigh, he found his feet, stumbled over the
wooden steps and was at his uncle's side.

Uncle Samuel looked queer enough with a squashy black hat, a black cloak
flung over his shoulders, and a large cherry-wood pipe in his mouth.
Jeremy looked up at him defiantly.

"Well," said Uncle Samuel sarcastically. "It's nothing to you, I
suppose, that the town-crier is at this moment ringing his bell for you
up and down the Market Place?"

"Does father know?" Jeremy asked quickly.

"He does," answered Uncle Samuel.

Jeremy cast one last look around the place; the merry-go-round was
engaged once more upon its wild course, the horses rising and falling,
the golden woman clashing the cymbals, the minstrel striking, with his
dead eyes fixed upon space, his harp. All about men were shouting;
the noise of the coconut stores, of the circus, of the band, of the
hucksters and the charlatans, the crying of children, the laughter of
women--all the noise of the Fair bathed Jeremy up to his forehead.

He swam in it for the last time. He tried to catch one last glimpse
of his coal-black charger, then, with a sigh, he said, turning to his
uncle: "I suppose we'd better be going."

"Yes, I suppose we had," said Uncle Samuel.

They threaded their way through the Fair, passed the wooden stile, and
were once again in the streets, dark and ancient under the moon, with
all the noise and glare behind them. Jeremy was thinking to himself: "It
doesn't matter what Father does, or how angry he is, that was worth it."
It was strange how little afraid he was. Only a year ago to be punished
by his father had been a terrible thing. Now, since his mother's illness
in the summer, his father had seemed to have no influence over him.

"Did they bend you, or did you just come yourself, Uncle?" asked Jeremy.

"I happened to be taking the air in that direction," said Uncle Samuel.

"I hope you didn't come away before you wanted to," said Jeremy
politely.

"I did not," said his uncle.

"Is Father very angry?" asked Jeremy.

"It's more than likely he may be. The Town Crier's expensive."

"I didn't think they'd know," explained Jeremy. "I meant to get back in
time."

"Your father didn't go to church," said Uncle Samuel. "So your sins were
quickly discovered."

Jeremy said nothing.

Just as they were climbing Orange Street he said:

"Uncle Samuel, I think I'll be a horse-train