ng to prison. Of course I chose the former,
and they gave me a letter to take with me to my master. When I got
downstairs I met the officer who had enlisted me, who told me that if
my master was unwilling to take me back, he would enlist me again; and
finding on asking me if I had any money that he had taken all I
possessed, he gave me a shilling and wished me well.

My father sent me off at once with strict orders to get back to
Studland as quickly as I could, and that was all I received from him
either in the way of blessing or anything: so with a heavy heart I set
out on my retreat from Dorchester. I had not gone very far when I was
overtaken by a dairyman's cart, in which the owner gave me a lift,
asking me where I was bound for. I told him a little of my story, and
showed him the letter, that he might open it and see what was inside:
which, when he had done, he said I could go back quite safely, for my
master would not be able to hurt me. That put me into rather better
spirits, though I did not intend to go back all the same.

I rode along with the man as far as he went, and then continued on
foot to a village called Winfrith, where I went into a public-house,
and feeling hungry, ordered some bread and cheese. A soldier happened
to be in there, who was on furlough, bound for Bridport, and the very
sight of him again revived my old spirit and made me long to be like
him. I got into conversation with him, and said how much I wished to
be a soldier, to which he straightway answered that he could enlist me
for the Fortieth Regiment Foot, which gave sixteen guineas bounty. I
thought that was a great deal, and that if I got it I should not want
for money for some time, so I quickly accepted his proposal: I soon
found out, though, that I was very mistaken in my views about the
money lasting.

I was rather afraid of finding myself in Dorchester again, so tried to
persuade him to go round another way, but we at last slipped through
at night, and got to Winterborne, where we put up, going on next
morning in the coach to Bridport. I was again baffled for a time on
arriving there, for the coachman knew all about me, and remarked in a
way that was no doubt meant well, that it was but yesterday that my
father had got me out of the artillery. The soldier then asked me if I
was an apprentice, and I thought there seemed nothing to do but to
tell him I was: on which he promptly made me get down, and taking me
across some fields t