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better he liked his after…dinner amusement。 He was in high
good…humor that day； and he hit me so hard that he toppled over；
in his drunken state； with the force of his own blow。 He fell
with his face in a puddle； and lay there without moving。 I and
the dogs stood at a distance； and looked at him： we thought he
was feigning； to get us near and have another stroke at us。 He
feigned so long that we ventured up to him at last。 It took me
some time to pull him over； he was a heavy man。 When I did get
him on his back； he was dead。 We made all the outcry we could；
but the dogs were little； and I was little； and the place was
lonely； and no help came to us。 I took his fiddle and his stick；
I said to my two brothers； 'Come along； we must get our own
living now；' and we went away heavy…hearted； and left him on the
moor。 Unnatural as it may seem to you； I was sorry for him。 I
kept his ugly name through all my after…wanderings； and I have
enough of the old leaven left in me to like the sound of it
still。 Midwinter or Armadale； never mind my name now； we will
talk of that afterward； you must know the worst of me first。〃
〃Why not the best of you？〃 said Mr。 Brock； gently。
〃Thank you； sir； but I am here to tell the truth。 We will get on；
if you please； to the next chapter in my story。 The dogs and I
did badly； after our master's death； our luck was against us。 I
lost one of my little brothersthe best performer of the two； he
was stolen； and I never recovered him。 My fiddle and my stilts
were taken from me next； by main force； by a tramp who was
stronger than I。 These misfortunes drew Tommy and meI beg your
pardon； sir； I mean the dogcloser together than ever。
I think we had some kind of dim foreboding on both sides that we
had not done with our misfortunes yet； anyhow； it was not very
long before we were parted forever。 We were neither of us thieves
（our master had been satisfied with teaching us to dance）； but we
both committed an invasion of the rights of property； for all
that。 Young creatures； even when they are half starved； cannot
resist taking a run sometimes on a fine morning。 Tommy and I
could not resist taking a run into a gentleman's plantation； the
gentleman preserved his game； and the gentleman's keeper knew his
business。 I heard a gun go off； you can guess the rest。 God
preserve me from ever feeling such misery again as I felt when I
lay down by Tommy； and took him； dead and bloody； in my arms！ The
keeper attempted to part us； I bit him； like the wild animal I
was。 He tried the stick on me next； he might as well have tried
it on one of the trees。 The noise reached the ears of two young
ladies riding near the placedaughters of the gentleman on whose
property I was a trespasser。 They were too well brought up to
lift their voices against the sacred right of preserving game；
but they were kind…hearted girls； and they pitied me； and took me
home with them。 I remember the gentlemen of the house （keen
sportsmen all of them） roaring with laughter as I went by the
windows； crying； with my little dead dog in my arms。 Don't
suppose I complain of their laughter； it did me good service； it
roused the indignation of the two ladies。 One of them took me
into her own garden； and showed me a place where I might bury my
dog under the flowers； and be sure that no other hands should
ever disturb him again。 The other went to her father； and
persuaded him to give the forlorn little vagabond a chance in the
house； under one of the upper servants。 Yes！ you have been
cruising in company with a man who was once a foot…boy。 I saw you
look at me； when I amused Mr。 Armadale by laying the cloth on
board the yacht。 Now you know why I laid it so neatly； and forgot
nothing。 It has been my good fortune to see something of society；
I have helped to fill its stomach and black its boots。 My
experience of the servants' hall was not a long one。 Before I had
worn out my first suit of livery； there was a scandal in the
house。 It was the old story； there is no need to tell it over
again for the thousandth time。 Loose money left on a table； and
not found there again； all the servants with characters to appeal
to except the foot…boy； who had been rashly taken on trial。 Well！
well！ I was lucky in that house to the last； I was not prosecuted
for taking what I had not only never touched； but never even
seen： I was only turned out。 One morning I went in m y old
clothes to the grave where I had buried Tommy。 I gave the place a
kiss； I said good…by to my little dead dog； and there I was； out
in the world again； at the ripe age of thirteen years！〃
〃In that friendless state； and at that tender age；〃 said Mr。
Brock； 〃did no thought cross your mind of going home again？〃
〃I went home again； sir； that very nightI slept on the
hill…side。 What other home had I？ In a day or two's time I
drifted back to the large towns and the bad company； the great
open country was so lonely to me； now I had lost the dogs！ Two
sailors picked me up next。 I was a handy lad； and I got a
cabin…boy's berth on board a coasting… vessel。 A cabin…boy's
berth means dirt to live in； offal to eat； a man's work on a
boy's shoulders； and the rope's…end at regular intervals。 The
vessel touched at a port in the Hebrides。 I was as ungrateful as
usual to my best benefactors； I ran away again。 Some women found
me； half dead of starvation； in the northern wilds of the Isle of
Skye。 It was near the coast and I took a turn with the fishermen
next。 There was less of the rope's…end among my new masters； but
plenty of exposure to wind and weather； and hard work enough to
have killed a boy who was not a seasoned tramp like me。 I fought
through it till the winter came； and then the fishermen turned me
adrift again。 I don't blame them； food was scarce； and mouths
were many。 With famine staring the whole community in the face；
why should they keep a boy who didn't belong to them？ A great
city was my only chance in the winter…time； so I went to Glasgow；
and all but stepped into the lion's mouth as soon as I got there。
I was minding an empty cart on the Broomielaw； when I heard my
stepfather's voice on the pavement side of the horse by which I
was standing。 He had met some person whom he knew； and； to my
terror and surprise； they were talking about me。 Hidden behind
the horse； I heard enough of their conversation to know that I
had narrowly escaped discovery before I went on board the
coasting…vessel。 I had met at that time with another vagabond boy
of my own age； we had quarreled and parted。 The day after； my
stepfather's inquiries were made in that very district； and it
became a question with him （a good personal description being
unattainable in either case） which of the two boys he should
follow。 One of them； he was informed； was known as 〃Brown；〃 and
the other as 〃Midwinter。〃 Brown was just the common name which a
cunning runaway boy would be most likely to assume； Midwinter；
just the remarkable name which he would be most likely to avoid。
The pursuit had accordingly followed Brown； and had allowed me to
escape。 I leave you to imagine whether I was not doubly and
trebly determined to keep my gypsy master's name after that。 But
my resolution did not stop here。 I made up my mind to leave the
country altogether。 After a day or two's lurking about the
outward…bound vessels in port； I found out which sailed first；
and hid myself on board。 Hunger tried hard to force me out before
the pilot had left； but hunger was not new to me； and I kept my
place。 The pilot was out of the vessel when I made my appearance
on deck； and there was nothing for it but to keep me or throw me
overboard。 The captain said （I have no doubt quite truly） that he
would have preferred throwing me overboard； but the majesty of
the law does sometimes stand the friend even of a vagabond like
me。 In that way I came back to a sea…life。 In that way I learned
enough to make me handy and useful （as I saw you noticed） on
board Mr。 Armadale's yacht。 I sailed more than one voyage； in
more than one vessel； to more than one part of the world； and I
might have followed the sea for life； if I could only have kept
my temper under every provocation that could be laid on it。 I had
learned a great deal； but； not having learned that； I made the
last part of my last voyage home to the port of Bristol in irons；
and I saw the inside of a prison for the first time in my life；
on a charge of mutinous conduct to one of my officers。 You have
heard me with extraordinary patience； sir； and I am glad to tell
you； in return； that we are not far now from the end of my story。
You found some books； if I remember right； when you searched my
luggage at the Somersetshire inn？〃
Mr。 Brock answered in the affirmative。
〃Those books mark the next change in my lifeand the last；
before I took the usher's place at the school。 My term of
imprisonment was not a long one。 Perhaps my youth pleaded for me；
perhaps the Bristol magistrates took into consideration the time
I had passed in irons on board ship。 Anyhow； I was just turned
seventeen when I found myself out on the world again。 I had no
friends to receive me； I had no place to go to。 A sailor's life；
after what