y-going men who don't take much
persuading when they're approached the right way, at length consented to
hand over the reins to Charlie; and after waiting some time to see for
himself that the boy could really manage, after a fashion, to drive the
horse, he further gratified him by descending from the box, and leaving
him in sole possession of the coveted position.

"Get inside, Jim," cried the boy, with beaming face.

Jim, his face all one grin, obeyed, saying, as he did so,--

"Well, if you ain't a queer one! That's the house there, on the top of
that hill. Mind how you go, now."

"All right; you get inside. And I say, Jim," added the boy, leaning
down from his perch, "make yourself comfortable, you know, and don't
bother about me. I want to drive all by myself, and you aren't to help
me a bit, mind."

So the driver got inside, and seating himself among the luggage,
proceeded to make himself "comfortable," as instructed.

Meanwhile my master, as proud as an emperor, lashed his steed into a
canter, and rattled off in the direction of the school.

"That'll astonish some of them caps and gowns, I reckon," I heard cabby
say to himself. "You see, if he don't drive us right up to the front
door, as comfortable as if we was the sheriff of the county."

You may imagine what was the astonishment of the grave and reverend
authorities at Randlebury School when they perceived, coming up the
carriage drive, a cab with a boy of thirteen perched on the box, tugging
at the reins, hallooing to the horse, and making his whip crack like so
many fireworks; while inside, comfortably lounging amid a pile of
luggage, reclined cabby at his ease, grinning from ear to ear.

The young Jehu, perfectly innocent of the sensation he was making,
pursued his triumphant career at full speed up to the very hall door,
pulling up his steed with such a sudden jerk as almost to bring him into
a sitting position, while the piled-up luggage inside fell all about the
cab with the shock, to the imminent risk of cabby's life.

"Well, if that ain't one way of doing it, I don't know what is!"
exclaimed that astonished charioteer, emerging from his precarious
quarters. "Down you jump, young un."

Charlie descended, all jubilant with triumph, and pulling out me,
exclaimed, "We did that three miles in half an hour--not bad, was it?"

In his excitement he had not observed that the door of the house had
opened, and that these words, instead of being