they had not
brought his address with them.

CHAPTER 21

COLLINS'S PEOPLE

They resumed their journey the next morning, a little depressed in
spirits, for the end was so near. It was now Monday, and they had to be
home again--that is to say, in their home without wheels--to-morrow
night, and the thought was not exhilarating. Moreover, as Robert's
compass only too plainly showed, they were now for the first time since
they started moving due east, or towards Chiswick, instead of away from
it, as theretofore.

Holidays of a fortnight always go faster in the second week than the
first; but the last two days absolutely fly.

They were now bound for Faringdon through Fairford; and the night--the
last night--was to be spent, if possible, on the farm of Collins's
brother, near Lechlade.

At Fairford they had their lunch and explored the church, which is one
of the most remarkable in England. It was built, they learned from
Robert's "Road Book," by a rich merchant in the reign of Henry VII.
named John Tame. Being something of a privateer too, he had the good
fortune to capture a vessel on its way from Belgium to Italy laden with
stained glass, and, having secured this booty, he erected the church in
order to make use of it.

Horace admired this story immensely, and set John Tame with his other
heroes--Raffles and Robin Hood--forthwith.

Then came the hunt for Lycett's Farm, where Collins's people now lived,
of which they knew no more than that Lechlade was the postal address.
It might be this side of Lechlade, and it might be far on the other.
Collins had had the map placed before her, but could make nothing of
it. (Cooks never can read maps.)

After about two miles out of Fairford Robert began to ask. There were
no people on the road--indeed, one of the things that they had noticed
throughout their travels was how few persons were to be met; and they
had therefore to knock at a door here and there, or approach labourers
in the fields. Their ignorance of the name either of Lycett's or of
Collins was amazing.

"Never heard tell of such a place," said one.

"Not hereabouts," said another.

"Collins?" said a third. "There's a stone-mason of that name over at
Highworth; but I don't know of no farmer."

"Maybe you're thinking of Sadler's," another suggested.

Robert, who was getting testy, asked why. "Sadler's doesn't sound a bit
either like Collins or Lycett's," he said.

"No," the man agreed, "it doesn't.