Just two days after this, Frank Antony Blake received a letter, and was a very happy man. It enclosed a note for Mr Biffins Lee. The letter to Antony was quite a girl's, round-hand, language, and all; but so innocent, for it gave Antony orders which he was to pass on to Mary, with a detailed list of the articles of clothing she was to forward to care of Captain Paterson of the bark Nor'lan' Star, Hull, and the amount of money Mary was to ask Biffins for and send with the things.
It is needless to say there was joy now in the camp, and somehow it seemed to communicate itself even to Wallace the Newfoundland. We never know just how much a dog understands. Mary was daft with delight. Chops was 'blubbering'—an ugly word; but it was one of the fat boy's own, and when interpreted means 'weeping.' For it is not grief only which is capable of bringing salt tears to one's eyes.
Frank Antony Blake did not take long to make up his mind as to what he should do on this occasion. He thought, anyhow, that a railway journey would do him no harm; but really, when he arrived at last, and Lotty threw herself right into his arms to do a good cry, he thought it was the most natural thing in the world to fold her to his breast.
He did not like Hull, simply because he did not like cities; and so, after thanking, and more than thanking, the captain, his wife, and mate for all their kindness to Lotty, and hoping to meet them again, he took first-class tickets, and soon the fast train was bearing them back to the north, baby Norlans and all. He had wired to Crona to have Wallace at the cottage, and she had gone over on purpose to bring the faithful dog to her hut.
But no pen could portray the delight of this dear fellow when he was sent off with a rush and a run to meet Lotty and Antony slowly winding their way uphill to Crona's cottage.
CHAPTER XVII.
LIFE ON THE ROAD IN THE 'GIPSY QUEEN.'
FRANK ANTONY BLAKE had certainly not been hard upon the handsome banking account which his father had so generously placed at his disposal when he told him to go and have his fling for a few years, or until he should come of age. Perhaps Antony was neither better nor worse than the average modern son. For, of course, there are modern sons as well as modern fathers; but the sin of extravagance was not one that could be laid to this young fellow's charge. He liked to have one penny to rattle against another simply for comfort's sake. Luxuries he considered rather effeminate, and could do without them.
Now, however, he was going to let the wind into his banking account to the extent of purchasing a team of four as good horses as could be had in the Granite City, to which he paid a visit. He had been among horses all his life, and knew a horse at sight, and to him a horse was not merely 'an animal with a leg at each corner,' as it is to some. He advertised for what he wanted.
'That's biz, my son,' Biffins Lee had told him. 'Nothing done without advertising.'
He had swarms of answers, from 'legs' and others. It may be of some interest to know that a 'leg' is a worthless kind of scoundrel, with a straw in his mouth, who deals in horses and everything else that will enable him to turn a dishonest penny over. He calls his innocent victim a 'mug,' and when he finds one, he sets about the operation of playing him at once. There was very little of the 'mug' about Antony, and the fellows who tried to cheat him had to retire early, defeated. He succeeded at last in securing a team which it would have been difficult to beat anywhere, also a capital coachman as well as a groom. This last was a young and modest young fellow, whom, from his very looks, Antony concluded he could easily put up with, and he was not disappointed. He was to follow the caravans or be with and about them on his bike, assist the coachman, and with the latter put up every night at the hotel or inn at which the horses should rest.