"'Ere y'are!" said Grey, and walking the horses to the side of the road, he scrambled down to pull water from a well. "Here we are!" said Mr. Ellis from the back of the coach, where the tall youth was just receiving the floss-haired baby between his big red hands. Fat Mr. Ellis got down. The youth began pulling out Jack's bags and boxes, and Jack hurried round to help him.
"This is Tom," said Mr. Ellis.
"Pleased to meet you," said Tom, holding out a big hand and clasping Jack's hand hard for a moment. Then they went on piling the luggage on the wicker shay.
"That's the lot!" called Mr. Ellis.
"Good-bye, Jack!" said Mr. George, leaning his grey head out of the coach. "Be good and you'll be happy."
Over which speech Jack puzzled mutely. But the floss-haired baby girl was embracing his trouser legs.
"I never knew you were an Ellis," he said to her.
"Ay, she's another of 'em," said Mr. Ellis.
The coach was going. Jack went over awkwardly and offered the driver a two-shilling piece.
"Put it back in y'r pocket, lad, y'll want it more than I shall," said Grey unceremoniously. "The best o' luck to you, an' I mean it."