Then Warren suggested a spin, and of course Charlton went, and two or three other boys--who found Ralph very good company--had to come too; and since they did come, they could not ignore the boy they had all neglected in the past. Poor Charlton, he could hardly understand it, it almost frightened him! It was delightful out in the fields, in the fresh morning, with the dew still sparkling on the leaves, and with the air full of the songs of the wild birds. There is a charm and sweetness and delight about the early morning which they who are late risers have no idea of. It sets the nerves tingling and the blood dancing, and makes one feel as if he were walking on air, and not on solid earth. Away they went across the playing field, and out on the common, on towards Great Stow; arms well back, shoulders square, bodies gently sloped, going with good, long, swinging strides. Ralph was in his element now, for running, equally with rope work, was an accomplishment practised by all those amongst whom he had lived. A very necessary accomplishment, seeing that the ability to run swiftly, and to keep up without fagging, might mean all the difference between life and death in a land where the natives were quarrelsome and quite ready to go upon the warpath upon the least provocation. Some of the boys outstripped him at the first go off, but he kept on running low, swinging well from the hips, and those who had gone with a spurt at first soon found that he could, to use Warren's expression, "run circles round them, and then beat them hollow." But presently Ralph slackened his speed, for he had noticed that Charlton was fagged, and he--having pledged himself to be the boy's chum--was not going to desert him. The rest were by no means sorry to stop; for though their pride would not allow them to give in, they had all had nearly enough of it. And panting, laughing, happy in all their youthful strength and spirits, they pulled up and wiped the perspiration from their foreheads. "Let us go over to Tibb's Farm, and get a drink of milk; and then we must be getting back, or we shall get slated and be late for breakfast, and that won't do," directed Warren, and the others agreed. The farm was but a short distance away, and it was evident that this visit was nothing out of the ordinary; for the farmer's wife smiled, and produced tumblers of milk and wedges of cake, and charged the boys a penny each--which certainly was not exorbitant. And the way they got rid of that cake! And they were going home to breakfast!--ay, and would be able to eat it, too, cake notwithstanding! So much results from getting up early! Perhaps it was because of his exhibition with the rope--perhaps it was the run; but as Ralph sat there his thoughts went back to his trouble.