“The ‘Protector’ should pay”—even Mr. Stewart had said something to that effect; and the very first thing which met Arthur’s delighted gaze, as he walked down Gray’s Inn Lane from the King’s Cross Station, was a huge vehicle—apparently constructed on the joint models of a police-van and a cattle-truck, driven by a man in a quiet livery of orange and green, and guarded by a hanging footman, decked out in the like complimentary colours—which vehicle bore on its sides this inscription:— “VIS UNITA FORTIOR,” the motto of the Company, its device being a bundle of sticks firmly tied together. Then followed— “PROTECTOR” FLOUR AND BREAD COMPANY (LIMITED). INCORPORATED UNDER ACT OF PARLIAMENT, For the purpose of Supplying the Public with the Best Bread at the Lowest Possible Price. * * * * * If this did not look like business, Arthur wondered what would. If all that varnish and gilding, all that lettering and painting, did not indicate success, he was very much out in his calculations. It was only the third day for the vans to be out, and they had not yet lost their pristine brilliancy. They were clean and fresh, as though they had that moment come out of the builder’s hands—the liveries were free from spot or stain—the brass of the harness was bright as lacquer—the horses were groomed to perfection—the drivers and the men behind both looked, in their fine conspicuous clothing, conscious and conceited, and, perhaps, a little shamefaced besides. The London boys cheered the splendid conveyance, and put, at the same time, various rude questions to the individuals in charge. The idle, dirty, half-starved looking women who are always gathered round the entrance to those wretched courts leading out of Gray’s Inn Lane, stared after the vehicle, and made audible comments upon it, which Arthur could hear as he passed by. Very well-dressed people also took notice of the van, and wondered what the meaning of the motto might be. Ladies were especially interested in this question; and Arthur longed to stop and tell a few of the sweet creatures—not merely the English of _Vis Unita Fortior_, but also that he was one of the directors in the great Company.