gen, or some such
name. Well, it seemed that he knew me, for as I struggled out after a
considerable interval, I heard myself accosted, "Mr. Dutton! Sir,
surely I have the honour of speaking to Mr. Dutton of Micklethwayte?"
I assure you he was the very pink of politeness. Do you remember, Miss
Egremont, Abel Stone?'

'Oh, Abel Stone! He was a choir boy at Micklethwayte, I remember! He
was very handsome, and had a splendid voice; but he was a real monkey
for mischief, and nobody could manage him but mother. She was always
pleading that he should not be turned out, and at last he ran away.'

'Yes; he went off with a circus, and there he found his vocation, rose
and throve, married the prima-donna, and is part owner. He seems very
respectable, and was so friendly and affectionate that I ventured to
consult him; when, on hearing whom I was seeking, he became warmly
interested, and gave me just the information I wanted. He said he had
little doubt that Funny Frank was a clown called Brag, with whom he had
had words some years back for misusing the children. He said he did not
hold with harshness to the little ones in teaching them to do the
feats, which certainly were wonderful. If they were frightened, they
were nervous and met with accidents; but make much of them, and they
thought it all fun, and took a pride and pleasure in their
performances. However this Brag, though a clever fellow, could not be
hindered from bullying, and at last he went off with a girl of the
troupe and set up on their own account. Stone, or whatever he pleases
to call himself, had met them several times, but he spoke of them with
great contempt as "low," and they did not frequent the same places as
he does. However, he referred to one of his men, and found that they
had been at Epsom on the Derby day, and moreover, that there was a
report of them having lately narrowly escaped being in a scrape about a
child who had been injured. There was no scruple as to advising me
where to look for them, or as to the best means of detection. Stone
was very indignant, and made me understand that all his young people
were either to the manner born, or willingly hired out by their
parents. I saw them in private life, and they looked happy and
well-fed, but that was no guarantee for Funny Frank. Well, I followed
him up without success, trying each place Stone had set down for me,
till I came last night to Lyndhurst, a very pretty place in the New
For