"Just fancy if it was a hole in the ship's bottom," said Fred, "and we
were settling down with all on board. Some ships do, and are never
heard of again."

We amused ourselves as we went along by guessing beforehand on which
shore the next house or hamlet would appear. We betted shillings on
the result, but neither of us won or lost, for however often the
shillings changed hands, they remained in the canvas bag.

Perhaps places look more as if events happened in them if you do not
if now them well. I noticed that even our town looked more interesting
from the water than I had ever seen it look, so I dare say to
strangers it does not appear so dull as it is. All the villages on the
canal banks looked interesting. We passed one soon after tea, where
the horse rested under some old willows by the towing-path, and we and
Mr. Rowe went ashore. Whilst the barge-master delivered a parcel to a
friend, Fred and I strolled into a lane which led us past cottages
with very gay gardens to the church. The church was not at all like S.
Philip or S. James. It was squat, and ivy-covered, and carefully
restored; and it stood in a garden where the flowers almost hid the
graves. Just outside the lych-gate, four lanes met, and all of them
were so shady and inviting, and it was so impossible to say what they
might not lead to, that I said to Fred,

"You said the only way to run away besides going to sea was to
_tramp_. It sounds rather low, but we needn't beg, and I think walking
would be nice for a change, and I don't believe it would be much
slower than the barge, and it would be so much shadier. And we could
get off from Old Rowe at once, and hide if we heard anybody coming. I
wonder how far it is to London now?"

"Not far, I dare say," said Fred, who was pleased by the idea; "and if
we keep on we must get there in time. And we can get things to eat in
the hedges, which we can't do on the barge."

At this moment there passed a boy, to whom I said, "Which is the way
to London, if you please?" for there were four roads to choose from.

"What d' say?" said the boy.

I repeated my question.

"Dunno," he replied, trying to cram half his hand into his mouth. The
captain would have thought him very stupid if he had met him as a
native in one of the islands of the Pacific, I am sure; but I followed
him, and begged him to try and think if he had not heard of people
going to London.

At last his face brightened. He was looking over my he