Armed with these he walked rapidly home with Horace, giving him in an absent sort of way a chronicle of the day's doings, but breathing not a word to him or his mother subsequently about the advertisement.
After supper he excused himself from joining in the usual walk by saying he had a letter to write, and for the first time in his life felt relieved to see his mother and brother go and leave him behind them.
Then he pulled out the newspaper and eagerly read the advertisement once more in print.

There it was, not a bit changed! Lots of fellows had seen it by this time, and some of them very likely were at this moment answering it.

They shouldn't get the start of him, though! He sat down and wrote-- "Sir,--Having seen your advertisement in the _Rocket_, I beg to apply for particulars.

I am respectable and fairly intelligent, and am at present employed as compositor in the _Rocket_ newspaper-office.

I shall be glad to increase my income.