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There seemed a good deal of luggage; when we put it all together。   There 

was the Gladstone and the small hand…bag; and the two hampers; and a 

large roll of rugs; and some four or five overcoats and macintoshes; and 

a few umbrellas; and then there was a melon by itself in a bag; because 

it was too bulky to go in anywhere; and a couple of pounds of grapes in 

another bag; and a Japanese paper umbrella; and a frying pan; which; 

being too long to pack; we had wrapped round with brown paper。



It did look a lot; and Harris and I began to feel rather ashamed of it; 

though why we should be; I can't see。  No cab came by; but the street 

boys did; and got interested in the show; apparently; and stopped。



Biggs's boy was the first to come round。  Biggs is our greengrocer; and 

his chief talent lies in securing the services of the most abandoned and 

unprincipled errand…boys that civilisation has as yet produced。  If 

anything more than usually villainous in the boy…line crops up in our 

neighbourhood; we know that it is Biggs's latest。  I was told that; at 

the time of the Great Coram Street murder; it was promptly concluded by 

our street that Biggs's boy (for that period) was at the bottom of it; 

and had he not been able; in reply to the severe cross…examination to 

which he was subjected by No。 19; when he called there for orders the 

morning after the crime (assisted by No。 21; who happened to be on the 

step at the time); to prove a complete ALIBI; it would have gone hard 

with him。  I didn't know Biggs's boy at that time; but; from what I have 

seen of them since; I should not have attached much importance to that 

ALIBI myself。



Biggs's boy; as I have said; came round the corner。  He was evidently in 

a great hurry when he first dawned upon the vision; but; on catching 

sight of Harris and me; and Montmorency; and the things; he eased up and 

stared。  Harris and I frowned at him。  This might have wounded a more 

sensitive nature; but Biggs's boys are not; as a rule; touchy。  He came 

to a dead stop; a yard from our step; and; leaning up against the 

railings; and selecting a straw to chew; fixed us with his eye。  He 

evidently meant to see this thing out。



In another moment; the grocer's boy passed on the opposite side of the 

street。  Biggs's boy hailed him:



〃Hi! ground floor o' 42's a…moving。〃



The grocer's boy came across; and took up a position on the other side of 

the step。  Then the young gentleman from the boot…shop stopped; and 

joined Biggs's boy; while the empty…can superintendent from 〃The Blue 

Posts〃 took up an independent position on the curb。



〃They ain't a…going to starve; are they? 〃 said the gentleman from the 

boot…shop。



〃Ah! you'd want to take a thing or two with YOU;〃 retorted 〃The Blue 

Posts;〃 〃if you was a…going to cross the Atlantic in a small boat。〃



〃They ain't a…going to cross the Atlantic;〃 struck in Biggs's boy; 

〃they're a…going to find Stanley。〃



By this time; quite a small crowd had collected; and people were asking 

each other what was the matter。  One party (the young and giddy portion 

of the crowd) held that it was a wedding; and pointed out Harris as the 

bridegroom; while the elder and more thoughtful among the populace 

inclined to the idea that it was a funeral; and that I was probably the 

corpse's brother。



At last; an empty cab turned up (it is a street where; as a rule; and 

when they are not wanted; empty cabs pass at the rate of three a minute; 

and hang about; and get in your way); and packing ourselves and our 

belongings into it; and shooting out a couple of Montmorency's friends; 

who had evidently sworn never to forsake him; we drove away amidst the 

cheers of the crowd; Biggs's boy shying a carrot after us for luck。



We got to Waterloo at eleven; and asked where the eleven…five started 

from。  Of course nobody knew; nobody at Waterloo ever does know where a 

train is going to start from; or where a train when it does start is 

going to; or anything about it。  The porter who took our things thought 

it would go from number two platform; while another porter; with whom he 

discussed the question; had heard a rumour that it would go from number 

one。  The station…master; on the other hand; was convinced it would start 

from the local。



To put an end to the matter; we went upstairs; and asked the traffic 

superintendent; and he told us that he had just met a man; who said he 

had seen it at number three platform。  We went to number three platform; 

but the authorities there said that they rather thought that train was 

the Southampton express; or else the Windsor loop。  But they were sure it 

wasn't the Kingston train; though why they were sure it wasn't they 

couldn't say。



Then our porter said he thought that must be it on the high…level 

platform; said he thought he knew the train。  So we went to the high…

level platform; and saw the engine…driver; and asked him if he was going 

to Kingston。  He said he couldn't say for certain of course; but that he 

rather thought he was。  Anyhow; if he wasn't the 11。5 for Kingston; he 

said he was pretty confident he was the 9。32 for Virginia Water; or the 

10 a。m。 express for the Isle of Wight; or somewhere in that direction; 

and we should all know when we got there。  We slipped half…a…crown into 

his hand; and begged him to be the 11。5 for Kingston。



〃Nobody will ever know; on this line;〃 we said; 〃what you are; or where 

you're going。  You know the way; you slip off quietly and go to 

Kingston。〃



〃Well; I don't know; gents;〃 replied the noble fellow; 〃but I suppose 

SOME train's got to go to Kingston; and I'll do it。  Gimme the half…

crown。〃



Thus we got to Kingston by the London and South…Western Railway。



We learnt; afterwards; that the train we had come by was really the 

Exeter mail; and that they had spent hours at Waterloo; looking for it; 

and nobody knew what had become of it。



Our boat was waiting for us at Kingston just below bridge; and to it we 

wended our way; and round it we stored our luggage; and into it we 

stepped。



〃Are you all right; sir?〃 said the man。



〃Right it is;〃 we answered; and with Harris at the sculls and I at the 

tiller…lines; and Montmorency; unhappy and deeply suspicious; in the 

prow; out we shot on to the waters which; for a fortnight; were to be our 

home。









CHAPTER VI。





KINGSTON。 … INSTRUCTIVE REMARKS ON EARLY ENGLISH HISTORY。 … INSTRUCTIVE 

OBSERVATIONS ON CARVED OAK AND LIFE IN GENERAL。 … SAD CASE OF STIVVINGS; 

JUNIOR。 … MUSINGS ON ANTIQUITY。 … I FORGET THAT I AM STEERING。 … 

INTERESTING RESULT。 … HAMPTON COURT MAZE。 … HARRIS AS A GUIDE。



IT was a glorious morning; late spring or early summer; as you care to 

take it; when the dainty sheen of grass and leaf is blushing to a deeper 

green; and the year seems like a fair young maid; trembling with strange; 

wakening pulses on the brink of womanhood。



The quaint back streets of Kingston; where they came down to the water's 

edge; looked quite picturesque in the flashing sunlight; the glinting 

river with its drifting barges; the wooded towpath; the trim…kept villas 

on the other side; Harris; in a red and orange blazer; grunting away at 

the sculls; the distant glimpses of the grey old palace of the Tudors; 

all made a sunny picture; so bright but calm; so full of life; and yet so 

peaceful; that; early in the day though it was; I felt myself being 

dreamily lulled off into a musing fit。



I mused on Kingston; or 〃Kyningestun;〃 as it was once called in the days 

when Saxon 〃kinges〃 were crowned there。  Great Caesar crossed the river 

there; and the Roman legions camped upon its sloping uplands。  Caesar; 

like; in later years; Elizabeth; seems to have stopped everywhere: only 

he was more respectable than good Queen Bess; he didn't put up at the 

public…houses。



She was nuts on public…houses; was England's Virgin Queen。  There's 

scarcely a pub。 of any attractions within ten miles of London that she 

does not seem to have looked in at; or stopped at; or slept at; some time 

or other。  I wonder now; supposing Harris; say; turned over a new leaf; 

and became a great and good man; and got to be Prime Minister; and died; 

if they would put up signs over the public…houses that he had patronised: 

〃Harris had a glass of bitter in this house;〃 〃Harris had two of Scotch 

cold here in the summer of ‘88;〃 〃Harris was chucked from here in 

December; 1886。〃



No; there would be too many of them!  It would be the houses that he had 

never entered that would become famous。  〃Only house in South London that 

Harris never had a drink in!〃  The people would flock to it to see what 

could have been the matter with it。



How poor weak…minded King Edwy must have hated Kyningestun!  The 

coronation feast had been too much for him。  Maybe boar's head stuffed 

with sugar

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