The men and women we talked to all assured us that they did not know of anyone who could take us in, but there was Mr.Brownjohn, who kept the shop, and was the right person to apply to.

Accordingly we went to the little general shop and heard that Mr.Brownjohn was not at home.

His housekeeper, a fat, dark, voluble woman with prominent black eyes, who minded the shop in the master's absence, told us that Mr.Brownjohn had gone to a neighbouring farm-house on important business, but was expected back shortly.

We waited, and by and by he returned, a shabbily dressed, weak-looking little old man, with pale blue eyes and thin yellowish white hair.

He could not put us up, he said, he had no room in his cottage; there was nothing for us but to go on to the next place, a village three miles distant, on the chance of finding a bed there.