do with Ruby Grigg yonder;" saying which, he plunged back
into the beer-shop.

Vexed and annoyed at this encounter, Horace was just about to hasten on,
when his eyes fell on the man to whom the poor drunkard had referred
him; and who was seated not far-off on the other side of the green, upon
the steps of a large travelling van. The young man's heart died within
him as he gazed at the strange uncouth being to whom he was invited to
try and do some good.

Reuben Gregson, popularly known as "Ruby Grigg," was anything but a
jewel in appearance. He wore at this time a very long coat, whose
original colour, whatever it might have been, had now faded into a
yellowish dirty brown in those parts which still remained unpatched.
Trousers just reaching a little below the knee, and repaired here and
there with remnants of staring blue cloth of various shapes and sizes,
were succeeded by yellowish grey stockings, and by shoes which, if they
ever enjoyed the luxury of blacking, must have last done so at a very
remote period. A hat, which had once been black and of some definite
shape, but was now rimless, distorted, and of the same faded hue as the
coat, being stuck on one side, only partially covered a tangled mass of
greyish hair, which radiated wildly in every direction. Beneath the
foremost locks were two eyeballs, the one sightless, the other black and
piercing, and ever on the move, having to do double duty. A rough,
stubbly, and anything but cleanly beard, which was submitted to the
razor only on festal occasions, gave an additional wildness to a
countenance which was furrowed across the forehead and down either cheek
with deep lines blotched and freckled. As for the mouth, it was a
perfect study in itself. Usually pretty tightly closed, it displayed
when open a small remnant of teeth at irregular intervals, and now grown
old and decayed by long service. But, whether open or shut, there was
an expression of amused consciousness and cunning about that mouth, as
though the owner were living in a chronic state of self-satisfaction at
having fairly outwitted somebody. Such was Ruby Grigg in his personal
appearance.

His caravan, also, was a very original and peculiar structure,
manifestly built more for use than ornament, and combining both shop and
dwelling. It was formed of boards of various lengths and widths, some
painted and others bare, the business part being in front, and arched
over with a stout framework wh