d comb, and clean stockings?"

"I wanted to bring my box, sir," I said, "but it was too heavy. Would
any of the men come and fetch it?"

"Ask 'em," he said abruptly, and he turned away. This seemed cold and
strange; but I knew him to be rather curious and eccentric in his ways,
so I walked to one of the cart-sheds and looked about for a man to help
me.

I thought I saw some one enter the shed; but when I got inside no one
was there, as far as I could see--only piles of great baskets reaching
from floor to ceiling.

Disappointed, I was coming away, when in the gloom at the other end
there seemed to be something that was not basket; and taking a few steps
forward I made out that it was the boy Shock standing close up against
the baskets, with his face away from me.

I stood thinking what I should do. I was to be in the same garden with
this lad, who was always sneering at me; and I felt that if I let him
have the upper hand he would make my life very much more miserable than
it had been lately.

My mind was made up in a moment, and with a decision for which I had not
given myself credit I went right in and stood behind him.

"Shock!" I cried; but the boy only gave himself a twitch as if a spasm
had run through him, and did not move.

"Do you hear, sir?" I said sharply. "Come here; I want you to help
carry my box."

Still he did not move, and I felt that if I did not master him he would
me.

"Do you hear what I say, sir?" I cried in my most angry tones; "come
with me and fetch my box."

He leaped round so quickly that he made me start, and stood glaring at
me as if about to strike.

"You must come and fetch my box," I said, feeling all the while a good
deal of dread of the rough, fierce-looking boy.

I was between him and the wide door; and he stooped and looked first one
side of me and then the other, as if about to dart by. But, growing
bolder, I took a step forward and laid my hand upon his shoulder.

Up flew his arms as if about to strike mine away, but he caught my eye
and understood it wrongly. He must have thought I was gazing resolutely
at him, but I really was not. To my great satisfaction, though, he
stepped forward, drooping his arms and hanging his head, walking beside
me out into the open yard, where we came suddenly upon Old Brownsmith,
who looked at me sharply, nodded his head, and then went on.

I led the way, and Shock half-followed, half-walked beside me, and we
had just reac