sort of thing. I tried the places in Bond Street, and Piccadilly,
and Wigmore Street, and so on to begin with. Then I began to work
east, and directly I saw the things in the window here I felt sure
I had found you at last. You tiresome fellow! Here I have wasted
nearly half my holidays looking for you."

"I am so sorry, Ruthven."

"Sorry! you ought to be more than sorry. You ought to be ashamed
of yourself, downright ashamed. But, there, I won't say any more
now. Now, can't you come out with me?"

"No, I can't come out now, Ruthven; but come into this room with
me."

There for the next hour they chatted, Frank giving a full account
of all he had gone through since he came up to town, while Ruthven
gave him the gossip of the half year at school.

"Well," Ruthven said at last, "this old Horton of yours must be a
brick. Still, you know, you can't stop here all your life. You must
come and talk it over with my governor."

"Oh, no, indeed, Ruthven! I am getting on very well here, and am
very contented with my lot, and I could not think of troubling your
father in the matter."

"Well, you will trouble him a great deal," Ruthven said, "if you
don't come, for you will trouble him to come all the way down here.
He was quite worried when he first heard of your disappearance,