"Well, I've caught you at last!" he said, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder. "What do you want of me, Mr. Bickford?" said Kit. "What do I want of you? Well, I want you to go home with me, of course." "Won't you let me stay with the circus a week?" asked Kit, in a subdued tone. "No, I won't. I've got the wagon here, and I'm goin' to take you back with me to-night." "If you really think my uncle wishes it, perhaps I had better go," said Kit, in what appeared to be a wavering tone. Mr. Bickford was quite elated. He feared he should have trouble in persuading Kit to accompany him. He would not have been surprised if the boy had disappeared, and given him trouble to find him, and his unexpected submissiveness was an agreeable surprise. "Well, boy, it's time to be goin'. Oakford's six miles off, and we won't get home before midnight unless we start right off." "I'll go and get my things, Mr. Bickford. Where is your horse and wagon?" "Out by the entrance. It's hitched to a tree." "All right! You go and unhitch the horse, and I'll be right along." "But suppose you give me the slip? You'd better go along now." "I'll bring him with me, Mr. Bickford," said the giant. "I'm sorry he isn't going to stay with us, and I'll see him off." Achilles Henderson spoke in so straightforward a manner that Mr. Bickford was deceived. "Very well," he said. "I'll go along with Mrs. Bickford. Don't keep me waitin', for it's gettin' late." The blacksmith and his wife took up their march to the place where their team had been hitched. They found it safe, and untied the horse. "We're goin' to have a dark ride home, mother," he said. "Yes, Aaron, but you've done a good evening's work." "That's so, Sarah. I expected I'd have more trouble with the boy." "There's nothing like being firm, Aaron. When he saw you were in earnest, he gave up." "I mean to keep a tight rein on him, Sarah. He's a boy that likes to have his own way, if I ain't greatly mistaken. We must break his will." The horse was unhitched, and still Kit had not arrived. Mr. Bickford began to fear that he had been tricked after all, when two figures, contrasting strongly with each other, appeared. One was the giant, in his ample height, and the other was a boy. "There they are, Aaron!" said Mrs. Bickford, who was the first to descry the oddly assorted pair. "Where is the boy to sit?" asked Achilles. "In the back seat. Mother and I will sit in front." "All right! There you are!" said Mr. Henderson, lifting the boy in his arms, as easily as if he were a kitten, and putting him on the rear seat. "Good-by, Kit!" he said. "I'm sorry you're going to leave us. Perhaps Mr. Bickford will let you off if we show anywhere near here." "The boy will be at work, and can't be let off," said the blacksmith, stiffly. "But it is time we were off." "Good-by, then, Kit!"