"This is my last afternoon," he said to her, "and I have crowned the achievements of my visit here by choosing a red pig. Now I’m going back to the big barbarous world to boast of my new acquirements--brewing beer, eating pastry, drinking beef-tea, cutting up the beans, making onion pickles, and other odd jobs assigned to me by Queen Elizabeth of the Green Dragon. Here she comes to fetch me, for we are going to drive the red pig home in the cart. Then I’m to have some tea with rum in it, and some of those horrible Shropshire crumpets. Then if I’m alive after the crumpets and the rum, there will be a few more odd jobs for me to do, and then to-morrow I go. As for yourself, little secretary, you are going to put courage into your heart, and fight your battles well. Tell me?" "Yes," she said; and she looked up brightly, though there were tears in her eyes. "Do you know those words, ’_Hitch your wagon to a star?_’" he said. "Emerson was right. The wagon spins along merrily then. And now good-bye, little secretary. You must come and see me off at the station to-morrow. I want all my friends around me." So on the morrow they gathered round him, Mr. Benbow, Mrs. Benbow, two of the Malt-House Farm boys, the old woman who kept the grocer’s shop, and who had been doing a good trade in sweetmeats since Hieronymus came, the exciseman, and Joan Hammond, and old John of the wooden leg. They were all there, sorrowful to part with him, glad to have known him. "If you would only stay," said Mrs. Benbow; "there are so many odd jobs for you to do!" "No, I must go," said the historian. "There is an end to everything, excepting to your beef-tea. But I’ve been very happy." His luggage had increased since he came to Little Stretton. He had arrived with a small portmanteau; he went away with the same portmanteau, an oak chair which Mr. Benbow had given him, and a small hamper containing Gamboge. "Take care how you carry that hamper," he said to the porter. "There is a dog inside undergoing a cat incarnation!" To Joan he said: "Little secretary, answer the advertisement and go out into the world." And she promised. And to David he said: "When you’ve finished that book-list write to me for another one." And he promised. Then the train moved off, and the dear kind face was out of sight. * * * * * Mrs. Benbow went home to do the scouring and cleaning. David rode off to Ludlow and bought a book. Joan sat in her room at the Malt-House Farm, and cried her heart out. Then she looked at the advertisement and answered it. "It was kind of David," she said. * * * * * So Joan went out into the world. * * * * *