, all of which he had consigned to the depths of a large green
baize bag which he carried with him. He stopped a few minutes near
the gate to talk about his treasures to Clifton, who had been walking
with him, but the concourse becoming rather greater than Clifton found
convenient, he presently moved away, and Louis was following him, his
bag in one hand and two unpromising-looking stones in the other, when
Casson arrested him with,

"I say, Louis, what a famous bag--lend it us a minute. I'm going to
old mother Simmons's; it would hold half her shop."

"There are stones in it," said Louis, drawing back.

Casson verbally execrated the stones, and, declaring it was of no
consequence, snatched the bag out of Louis' hand and ran away.

Rather startled by this abrupt manner of proceeding, Louis followed
Casson to the verge of the lane, and waited there till he came back.

"I haven't eaten your bag, you see, but I can't spare it till we get in."

"But are the stones there?" said Louis.

"To be sure; what do you suppose I've done with them? What a famous
receptacle! I say, Louis, did you ever see the inside of the stable
over the way?"

"No--I am not very fond of stables."

"But I suspect there's something worth seeing there," said Casson;
and he proceeded to tell Louis, under a promise of the strictest
secrecy, in a manner so exceedingly vulgar and improper that I do
not choose to write it, that he believed that the doctor kept his
winter apples in the loft of that stable, and concluded by hinting
that some of them meant to find them out and help themselves. "We
used to do it regularly at old Stennett's, where I went before,
Louis," he continued. "It's such fun: you must lend us your green
bag, and come with us."

"Oh! Casson, how can you think such a thing of me!" exclaimed Louis,
shrinking back.

The exclamation was so loud that Casson laid his hand upon his mouth
with a muttered angry ejaculation.

"One would think I had spoken of breaking open a house," said Casson.

"It's stealing," said Louis, in a tone of anger.

"Nonsense."

"I tell you, Casson, it is--don't talk to me any more about it--I
wish I had never known you!"

Casson burst out laughing. "What a ninny you are!" he exclaimed.
"You are as easily frightened as a bird with a pop-gun. And now,
I suppose, you will go with this nice little story to some good
friend and make something interesting and romantic out of nothing."

"Is it _really_ non