I obeyed him, and seizing my leg, he nearly shot me right over the horse, but by hanging tightly on to the collar I managed to save myself, and shuffled round into the proper position for riding sidewise, feeling the motion of the horse, in spite of a certain amount of boniness of spine, delightfully easy and restful. "They're all right," the boy said, as I glanced at my bundle. "They won't fall off. Are yer comf'able?" "Yes, capital," I said, and we journeyed on, my luck seeming almost too good to be believed. We went on talking away, now and then passing another barge, when the ropes were passed one over the other boat, and the journey continued. Soon afterwards I made my first acquaintance with a lock, and got down off the horse to stand by the barge and gaze in wonderment at the process. As it glided softly into the space between walls, a pair of great doors were shut behind it, and I and my new companion helped to turn handles, with the result that I saw the water foam and rush out, and the barge slowly sink down to a lower level, when a couple of great doors were swung open at the other end. There was a certain amount of pushing and thrusting, and the barge glided out into the river ten feet lower than it was before. Then the rope was once more made fast, the horses tugged, and we went on again, but not far before a shrill voice shouted "Jack!" and my companion stood still till the barge came abreast of him, being steered close in, when I saw a woman lean over the side and hold out a basket, which the boy caught, and then ran after me once more, where I was mounted on the first horse. "My dinner," he said eagerly. "Got yourn?" "Yes," I said, colouring up as I pulled the remains of my bread and cheese out of my pocket, there being a large piece of the latter. "Steak pudden to-day," said my companion, hanging his basket on to the collar by my knee, and revealing a basin half full of savoury-odoured beef-steak pudding, which was maddening to me in my hungry state. "I say, what a whacking great piece of cheese! I like cheese," said my companion; "let's go halves." Pride kept me back for a moment, and then I said-- "I'll give you threepence if you'll give me half your dinner." "I don't want your threepence," he said scornfully. "You shall have half if you give me half your new bread and cheese. Ourn's allus stale. Look, here's some cold apple puff too." So there was, and delicious it looked, sufficiently so to make my mouth water. "Got a knife, matey?" "Yes," I said, "but--" "I say, I tell you what," said my would-be host. "Have you really got threepence?" "Yes," I said, and was about to say more, when Mr Rowle's words occurred to me and I was silent. "Then we'll have half a pint o' cider at the next lock, and twopen'orth o' apples, shall us?"