Part 8 (1/2)

Now, you see, we are pretty well in the country.

”Can you run?”

”Yes, I can run pretty well, Mr. Medlin.”

”Very well, Bob. You see that tree growing out beyond that garden wall, about four hundred yards on. It is four hundred and twenty, for I have measured it. Now then, you walk on fifty yards, and then run for your life. See if I don't catch you, before you are there.”

Bob, wondering as he went along at the astounding change that had come over his companion, took fifty long steps; then he heard a shout of ”Now!” and went off at the top of his speed. He was still a hundred yards from the mark, when he heard steps coming rapidly up behind him; and then the clerk dashed past him, and came in fully twenty yards ahead.

”You don't run badly,” he said, as Bob stopped, panting. ”My Jack generally comes to meet me, and I always give him seventy yards, and only beat him by about as much as I do you. He couldn't come, this afternoon. He is busy helping his mother to get things straight. I expect we shall meet him, presently.

”Well, what are you laughing at?”

”I was just thinking how astonished my uncle would be, if he were to see us.”

Mr. Medlin gave a hearty laugh.

”Not so much as you would think, Bob. Five years ago, my employer suddenly asked me, just as we were shutting up one afternoon, if I was fond of fis.h.i.+ng. I said that I used to be.

”He said, 'I am going down, for a fortnight, into Hamps.h.i.+re. I have no one to go with--suppose you come with me.'

”I said, 'I will.'

”He said, 'Coach tomorrow morning, eight o'clock, Black Horse Yard.'

”I was there. As we went over London Bridge I found myself, as usual; and he found himself. I explained to him that I could not help it. He said he didn't want me to help it. We had a glorious fortnight together, and we have been out every year, since. He never alludes to it, between times. No more do I. He is stiffer than usual for a bit. So am I. But we both know each other.

”You do not suppose that he would have sent you to me, if he hadn't known that I have got another side to me?”

”Well, I should not have thought,” Bob said, ”from the way he talked, when he introduced me to you, that he ever had such an idea in his mind.”

”He was obliged to talk so,” Mr. Medlin said, laughing. ”We were just machines at the time, both of us. But he talked in quite a different way when we were down fis.h.i.+ng together, three weeks ago.

He said then you were rather a pickle, and that he didn't think you would do yourself any good where you were, so that he was going to bring you up to business.

”'I don't want him to turn out a dull blockhead,' he said, 'and so I propose that you should take charge of him, and teach him to keep himself young. I wish I had done it, myself.'

”And so it was settled.

”There is no better employer in the city than your uncle. There is not a man or boy about the place who isn't well paid, and contented. I used to think myself a lucky man, before we went out fis.h.i.+ng together for the first time but, six months after that, he gave me a rise that pretty well took my breath away.

”Ah! Here come the young uns.”

A couple of minutes later, four young people ran up. There was a boy about Bob's age, a girl a year younger, a boy, and another girl, in regular steps. They greeted their father with a joyous shout of welcome.

”So you have got everything done,” he said. ”I thought you would meet me somewhere here.

”This is Bob Repton, my employer's nephew, and future member of the firm. Treat him with all respect, and handle him gently. He is a desperate fellow, though he doesn't look it. This is the young gentleman I told you of, who made a night expedition and captured four burglars.”

After this introduction, Bob was heartily shaken by the hand, all round; and the party proceeded on their way, the two girls holding their father's hand, the boys walking behind, with Bob, who was so surprised at the unexpected turn affairs had taken that, for a time, he almost lost his usual readiness of speech.