He trudged slowly on, without meeting a soul, until he came upon some
stones that evidently marked the limits of the preserves. When he had
got a mile or so beyond these, he struck a narrow and not much frequented
path, which he was sure would lead him towards Sunch'ston, and soon
afterwards, seeing a huge old chestnut tree some thirty or forty yards
from the path itself, he made towards it and flung himself on the ground
beneath its branches. There were abundant signs that he was nearing farm
lands and homesteads, but there was no one about, and if any one saw him
there was nothing in his appearance to arouse suspicion.
He determined, therefore, to rest here till hunger should wake him, and
drive him into Sunch'ston, which, however, he did not wish to reach till
dusk if he could help it. He meant to buy a valise and a few toilette
necessaries before the shops should close, and then engage a bedroom at
the least frequented inn he could find that looked fairly clean and
comfortable.
He slept till nearly six, and on waking gathered his thoughts together.
He could not shake his newly found son from out of them, but there was no
good in dwelling upon him now, and he turned his thoughts to the
Professors. How, he wondered, were they getting on, and what had they
done with the things they had bought from him?
"How delightful it would be," he said to himself, "if I could find where
they have hidden their hoard, and hide it somewhere else.
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