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learning that Hanky and the Ranger were likely to meet。 Who could
tell but that he might see Panky too？
〃I have been away from home a fortnight； and shall not be back till
late on Saturday night。 I do not suppose I shall see him before
Sunday。〃
〃That will do；〃 thought my father； who at that moment deemed that
nothing would matter to him much when Sunday was over。 Then；
turning to the Ranger； he said； 〃I gather； then； that your mother
does not think so badly of the Sunchild after all？〃
〃She laughs at him sometimes； but if any of us boys and girls say a
word against him we get snapped up directly。 My mother turns every
one round her finger。 Her word is law in Sunch'ston； every one
obeys her； she has faced more than one mob； and quelled them when
my father could not do so。〃
〃I can believe all you say of her。 What other children has she
besides yourself？〃
〃We are four sons； of whom the youngest is now fourteen； and three
daughters。〃
〃May all health and happiness attend her and you； and all of you；
henceforth and for ever；〃 and my father involuntarily bared his
head as he spoke。
〃Sir；〃 said the youth； impressed by the fervency of my father's
manner； 〃I thank you； but you do not talk as Bridgeford Professors
generally do； so far as I have seen or heard them。 Why do you wish
us all well so very heartily？ Is it because you think I am like
your son； or is there some other reason？〃
〃It is not my son alone that you resemble；〃 said my father
tremulously； for he knew he was going too far。 He carried it off
by adding； 〃You resemble all who love truth and hate lies； as I
do。〃
〃Then； sir；〃 said the youth gravely； 〃you much belie your
reputation。 And now I must leave you for another part of the
preserves； where I think it likely that last night's poachers may
now be； and where I shall pass the night in watching for them。 You
may want your permit for a few miles further； so I will not take
it。 Neither need you give it up at Sunch'ston。 It is dated； and
will be useless after this evening。〃
With this he strode off into the forest； bowing politely but
somewhat coldly； and without encouraging my father's half proffered
hand。
My father turned sad and unsatisfied away。
〃It serves me right；〃 he said to himself； 〃he ought never to have
been my son； and yet； if such men can be brought by hook or by
crook into the world； surely the world should not ask questions
about the bringing。 How cheerless everything looks now that he has
left me。〃
* * *
By this time it was three o'clock； and in another few minutes my
father came upon the ashes of the fire beside which he and the
Professors had supped on the preceding evening。 It was only some
eighteen hours since they had come upon him； and yet what an age it
seemed！ It was well the Ranger had left him； for though my father；
of course； would have known nothing about either fire or poachers；
it might have led to further falsehood； and by this time he had
become exhaustednot to say； for the time being； sick of lies
altogether。
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。〃
He tried to project his mind into those of the Professors； as
though they were a team of straying bullocks whose probable action
he must determine before he set out to look for them。
On reflection； he concluded that the hidden property was not likely
to be far from the spot on which he now was。 The Professors would
wait till they had got some way down towards Sunch'ston； so as to
have readier access to their property when they wanted to remove
it； but when they came upon a path and other signs that inhabited
dwellings could not be far distant； they would begin to look out
for a hiding…place。 And they would take pretty well the first that
came。 〃Why； bless my heart；〃 he exclaimed； 〃this tree is hollow； I
wonder whether〃 and on looking up he saw an innocent little strip
of the very tough fibrous leaf commonly used while green as string；
or even rope； by the Erewhonians。 The plant that makes this leaf
is so like the ubiquitous New Zealand Phormium tenax； or flax； as
it is there called； that I shall speak of it as flax in future； as
indeed I have already done without explanation on an earlier page；
for this plant grows on both sides of the great range。 The piece
of flax； then； which my father caught sight of was fastened； at no
great height from the ground； round the branch of a strong sucker
that had grown from the roots of the chestnut tree； and going
thence for a couple of feet or so towards the place where the
parent tree became hollow； it disappeared into the cavity below。
My father had little difficulty in swarming the sucker till he
reached the bough on to which the flax was tied； and soon found
himself hauling up something from the bottom of the tree。 In less
time than it takes to tell the tale he saw his own familiar red
blanket begin to show above the broken edge of the hollow； and in
another second there was a clinkum…clankum as the bundle fell upon
the ground。 This was caused by the billy and the pannikin； which
were wrapped inside the blanket。 As for the blanket； it had been
tied tightly at both ends； as well as at several points between；
and my father inwardly complimented the Professors on the neatness
with which they had packed and hidden their purchase。 〃But；〃 he
said to himself with a laugh； 〃I think one of them must have got on
the other's back to reach that bough。〃
〃Of course；〃 thought he； 〃they will have taken the nuggets with
them。〃 And yet he had seemed to hear a dumping as well as a
clinkum…clankum。 He undid the blanket； carefully untying every
knot and keeping the flax。 When he had unrolled it； he found to
his very pleasurable surprise that the pannikin was