"Yah! who cares for you?" cried the boy angrily; and then his countenance changed, and he broke into a smile as he found himself face to face with Rich. "Why, Bob," she exclaimed, "what is the matter?" "I couldn't help it, Miss. Mr Hendon shoved me in like that. I meant to come in by the area." "But why did he bring you back like that? Did he know where you had been?" "Oh, no, Miss! I never tells anybody where I'm going with a note for you; not even Mr Poynter, Miss. Here's the letter; and Miss Heath said I was to give her love to you, and she hadn't been because she was so busy." Bob drew a letter from his pocket, and as he did so made upon it an ugly mark. "Why, Bob, your hand's bleeding!" "Is it, Miss? Oh, ah! so it is. That ain't nothink." "You are all over mud, too. Have you met with an accident again?" The boy's lips parted to say "_Yes_," but as he gazed up into the clear searching eyes which looked down so kindly into his, he shook his head. "No, Miss," he said boldly. "Why, Bob, you have not been fighting?" "I didn't want to fight, Miss; but what's a chap to do?" "Surely not fight when he is sent on an errand," said Rich severely. "I didn't want to fight," said the boy again: "but I was fighting, and Mr Hendon ketched me." "I'm afraid, Bob, I shall be obliged to speak to my father, and have you sent away." "No, no! don't do that, Miss; please don't. I will be so very useful, and I will do everythink 'Lisbeth tells me. Don't send a feller away." "We cannot keep a boy who behaves so badly," continued Rich, who was trying to hide being amused and pleased at the boy's affectionate earnestness. "Then I won't fight no more," said Bob. "But you don't know what it is, Miss. You don't know how the fellers tease yer. They're allers at yer. Soon as yer goes down the street, some one shouts `Bottles!' Jest because I takes out the physic. I should jest like to make some on 'em take it. I'd give 'em a dose." "But, Bob, you ought to be too sensible to take any notice about a rude boy calling you names." "So I am, Miss," cried the boy, "ever so much. I never did nothing till they began on the doctor." "Began on the doctor?" "Yes, Miss; saying all sorts o' things about him. I shouldn't like to tell you what." "And I should not like to hear, Bob," said Rich gravely, as she went up-stairs; while after waiting till he heard a door close, Bob went cautiously into the surgery, crept to the door of the consulting-room, and listened to find out whether the doctor was there, and finding him absent, the boy went nimbly to the nest of drawers, opened one, and took out a pair of scissors before lifting a tin case from a corner--a case which looked like the holder of a map.