"Boy," I asked, "where is the nearest railroad station?"
"Stipbitts," said he.
"How far?"
"Five miles."
"Take me there," I said.
The boy looked at me in surprise. "I can't do that. I was told to take
you to Sanpritchit: that's where I'm goin', and I'm goin' to bring back
a box belongin' to Captain Fluke. That's what I 'in goin' to do."
"I cannot get there in time," I said. "I didn't know it was so far. Take
me to Stipbitts, and I will give you a dollar; then you can go along and
attend to Captain Fluke's box. I have already paid for the drive to
Sanpritchit."
"Have you got as much as a dollar and a half about you?" asked the boy.
I replied that I had.
"All right," said he; "give me that, and I'll take you to Stipbitts."
The bargain was struck, I was taken to Stipbitts, and an hour afterward
I was on my way to my home at Arden.
There was one very satisfactory feature about this course of action: it
was plain and simple, and needed no planning. To attempt to follow the
yacht would be useless. To wait anywhere for Walkirk would be equally
so. He would be more apt to find me at my home than anywhere else. It
was his business to find me, and there was no doubt that he would do it.
I did not like to defer my intended interview with Mrs.
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