grammar-school. Like most boys, he had not
much idea of distance, and, besides, the night had deceived him.

The rumbling of the vans, and the growling of the beasts, who were
making a great deal of very unnecessary noise, startled Harry from his
sleep; and he ran out of his strange sleeping-chamber to see what it
all meant, and stood staring open-mouthed at the curious
divers-coloured caravans as they rolled along. The yellow chariot led
the way. But the musicians were silent, and the drum swung from the
back of the vehicle unbeaten and at peace. Last of all came Mr and Mrs
Blewcome in the gaudiest of the caravans, drawn by two piebald steeds
with very long manes and very thin tails, and who seemed to have seen
their best days.

The eagle eye of Timothy Blewcome caught sight of Harry, and, turning
to his wife, he remarked, in a tragic tone (he was a bit of an orator,
was Blewcome; at least, he thought so):

"Jemimar, he'll do!"

And their conveyance came to a standstill, and Harry saw the portly
form of the said Jemima Blewcome descending the caravan-steps and
coming towards him.

He was not the least afraid, she looked so kind and good-natured.

"My dear!" said Mrs Blewcome, courteously, with the blandest of smiles.

"Yes," answered Harry, vacantly.

"My dear!" repeated Mrs Blewcome, "come along with me!"

Harry wanted his breakfast. He was ravenously hungry.

"Give me something to eat, then," he said stolidly, "and I'll come."

"Get up into the van, my dear, and I will. Here, Tim, help the boy up."

And Harry, nothing daunted, reached out his hand, and Timothy Blewcome
gravely assisted him up the steps.

Gazing admiringly at the gorgeous colouring of the door and sides of
the strange habitation on wheels, Harry sat himself down in one corner
of the van, and, somehow or other, soon began to feel quite at home.
Mrs Blewcome then ascended, the word was given, and the whole cavalcade
moved on.

It was the work of a moment; and there was Harry, not the least
realising his position, a member of a travelling menagerie. It was a
change from the previous day, certainly.

The space of the apartment was somewhat confined, and the springs
seemed to be very bad, for the caravan jolted along in such a manner
that he could scarcely help upsetting the cup of bread and milk the
motherly hands of Mrs Blewcome had given him.

He never uttered a word, but ate his breakfast, and enjoyed it
thoroughly, thinking