Sam was creeping into the kitchen as silently as possible.
"Young man!" cried Mr. Royden, opening the sitting-room door, "come in here."
"Yes, sir," said Sam, in a very feeble and weak tone of voice.
But he lingered a long time in the kitchen, and during the conversation, which was resumed, he was nearly forgotten. At length Mr. Royden thought he heard a strange noise, which sounded very much like a person crying.
"Do you hear, Samuel?" he cried. "Come in here, I say! What is the matter?"
"I'm—coming!" replied the boy, in a broken voice.
He made his appearance at the door in a piteous plight. He was covered with dirt, and with all his efforts he could not keep from crying.
"You have been flung from the horse!" suddenly exclaimed Chester. "Is that the trouble?"
"I haven't been flung from the horse, neither!" said Sam, doggedly.
"Did you leave him at the tavern?"