"Never mind the buts, youngster. You'll have to be sent back to your sorrowing friends, my absconding young sloper." "No, no, no?" I cried wildly, as he took hold of my cuff. "Don't send me back, pray don't send me back." "None o' that 'ere now," he said, giving me a rough shake. "You just come along quietly." "Oh, I will, sir, indeed I will!" I cried, "but don't, pray don't send me back." "Why not? How do you know but it won't be best for yer? You come along o' me sharp, and we'll soon physic your constitution into a right state." The agony of dread that seized me at that moment was more than I could bear. In imagination I saw myself dragged back to Mr Blakeford, and saw the smile of triumph on his black-looking face, as he had me again in his power, and, boy as I was then, and full of young life and hopefulness, I believe that I would gladly have jumped into the river sooner than have had to trust to his tender mercies again. In my horror, then, I flung myself on my knees before the policeman, and clasped his leg as I appealed wildly to him to let me go. "If you sent me back, sir," I cried piteously, "he'd kill me." "And then we should kill him," he said, laughing. "Not as that would be much comfort to you. Here, get up." "You don't know what I suffered, sir, after poor papa and mamma died. He used me so cruelly, and he beat me, too, dreadfully. And now, after I have run away, if he gets me back he will be more cruel than before." "Well, I s'pose he wouldn't make it very pleasant for you, youngster. There, come: get up, and you shall tell the inspector, too, all about it." "No, no, no," I cried wildly, as in spite of his efforts to get me up I still clung to his leg. "Come, none of that, you know. I shall have to carry you. Get up." He seized me more roughly, and dragged me to my feet, when with a hoarse cry of dread, I made a dash to escape, freed my arm and ran for freedom once again, as if it were for my life. CHAPTER THIRTEEN. P.C. REVITTS. In my blind fear of capture I did not study which way I went, but doubling down the first turning I came to, I ran on, and then along the next, to stop short directly afterwards, being sharply caught by the constable from whom I had fled, and who now held me fast. "Ah! you thought it, did you?" he said coolly, while, panting and breathless, I feebly struggled to get away. "But it won't do, my lad. You've got to come along o' me." "And then I shall be sent back," I cried, as I tried to wrestle myself free. "I've never done any harm, sir; and he'll half kill me. You don't know him. Pray let me go." "I know you to be a reglar young coward," he said roughly. "Why, when I was your age, I shouldn't have begun snivelling like this. Now, then, look here. You ain't come to London only to see your Mr Hot Roll, or whatever you call him. Is there any one else you know as I can take you to? I don't want to lock you up."