them。 Tell me all else you can。〃
My father said that the Professors were sitting pretty well east
and west； so that Hanky； who was on the east side； nearest the
mountains； had Panky； who was on the Sunch'ston side； on his right
hand。 George made a note of this。 My father then told what the
reader already knows； but when he came to the measurement of the
boots； George said； 〃Take your boots off；〃 and began taking off his
own。 〃Foot for foot；〃 said he； 〃we are not father and son； but
brothers。 Yours will fit me； they are less worn than mine； but I
daresay you will not mind that。〃
On this George ex abundanti cautela knocked a nail out of the right
boot that he had been wearing and changed boots with my father； but
he thought it more plausible not to knock out exactly the same nail
that was missing on my father's boot。 When the change was made；
each foundor said he foundthe other's boots quite comfortable。
My father all the time felt as though he were a basket given to a
dog。 The dog had got him； was proud of him； and no one must try to
take him away。 The promptitude with which George took to him； the
obvious pleasure he had in 〃running〃 him； his quick judgement；
verging as it should towards rashness； his confidence that my
father trusted him without reserve； the conviction of perfect
openness that was conveyed by the way in which his eyes never
budged from my father's when he spoke to him； his genial； kindly；
manner； perfect physical health； and the air he had of being on the
best possible terms with himself and every one elsethe
combination of all this so overmastered my poor father （who indeed
had been sufficiently mastered before he had been five minutes in
George's company） that he resigned himself as gratefully to being a
basket； as George had cheerfully undertaken the task of carrying
him。
In passing I may say that George could never get his own boots back
again； though he tried more than once to do so。 My father always
made some excuse。 They were the only memento of George that he
brought home with him； I wonder that he did not ask for a lock of
his hair； but he did not。 He had the boots put against a wall in
his bedroom； where he could see them from his bed； and during his
illness； while consciousness yet remained with him； I saw his eyes
continually turn towards them。 George； in fact； dominated him as
long as anything in this world could do so。 Nor do I wonder； on
the contrary； I love his memory the better； for I too； as will
appear later； have seen George； and whatever little jealousy I may
have felt； vanished on my finding him almost instantaneously gain
the same ascendancy over me his brother； that he had gained over
his and my father。 But of this no more at present。 Let me return
to the gaol in Sunch'ston。
〃Tell me more；〃 said George； 〃about the Professors。〃
My father told him about the nuggets； the sale of his kit； the
receipt he had given for the money； and how he had got the nuggets
back from a tree； the position of which he described。
〃I know the tree； have you got the nuggets here？〃
〃Here they are； with the receipt； and the pocket handkerchief
marked with Hanky's name。 The pocket handkerchief was found
wrapped round some dried leaves that we call tea； but I have not
got these with me。〃 As he spoke he gave everything to George； who
showed the utmost delight in getting possession of them。
〃I suppose the blanket and the rest of the kit are still in the
tree？〃
〃Unless Hanky and Panky have got them away； or some one has found
them。〃
〃This is not likely。 I will now go to my office； but I will come
back very shortly。 My grandfather shall bring you something to eat
at once。 I will tell him to send enough for two〃which he
accordingly did。
On reaching the office； he told his next brother （whom he had made
an under…ranger） to go to the tree he described； and bring back the
bundle he should find concealed therein。 〃You can go there and
back；〃 he said； 〃in an hour and a half； and I shall want the bundle
by that time。〃
The brother； whose name I never rightly caught； set out at once。
As soon as he was gone； George took from a drawer the feathers and
bones of quails； that he had shown my father on the morning when he
met him。 He divided them in half； and made them into two bundles；
one of which he docketed； 〃Bones of quails eaten； XIX。 xii。 29； by
Professor Hanky； P。O。W。W。； &c。〃 And he labelled Panky's quail
bones in like fashion。
Having done this； he returned to the gaol； but on his way he looked
in at the Mayor's； and left a note saying that he should be at the
gaol； where any message would reach him； but that he did not wish
to meet Professors Hanky and Panky for another couple of hours。 It
was now about half…past twelve； and he caught sight of a crowd
coming quietly out of the temple； whereby he knew that Hanky would
soon be at the Mayor's house。
Dinner was brought in almost at the moment when George returned to
the gaol。 As soon as it was over George said：…
〃Are you quite sure you have made no mistake about the way in which
you got the permit out of the Professors？〃
〃Quite sure。 I told them they would not want it； and said I could
save them trouble if they gave it me。 They never suspected why I
wanted it。 Where do you think I may be mistaken？〃
〃You sold your nuggets for rather less than a twentieth part of
their value； and you threw in some curiosities； that would have
fetched about half as much as you got for the nuggets。 You say you
did this because you wanted money to keep you going till you could
sell some of your nuggets。 This sounds well at first； but the
sacrifice is too great to be plausible when considered。 It looks
more like a case of good honest manly straightforward corruption。〃
〃But surely you believe me？〃
〃Of course I do。 I believe every syllable that comes from your
mouth； but I shall not be able to make out that the story was as it
was not； unless I am quite certain what it really was。〃
〃It was exactly as I have told you。〃
〃That is enough。 And now； may I tell my mother that you will put
yourself in her； and the Mayor's； and my； hands； and will do
whatever we tell you？〃
〃I will be obedience itselfbut you will not ask me to do anything
that will make your mother or you think less well of me？〃
〃If we tell you what you are to do； we shall not think any the
worse of you for doing it。 Then I may say to my mother that you
will be good and give no troublenot even though we bid you shake
hands with Hanky and Panky？〃
〃I will embrace them and kiss them on both cheeks； if you and she
tell me to do so。 But what about the Mayor？〃
〃He has known everything； and condoned everything； these last
twenty years。 He will leave everything to my mother and me。〃
〃Shall I have to see him？〃
〃Certainly。 You must be brought up before him to…morrow morning。〃
〃How can I look him in the face？〃
〃As you would me； or any one else。 It is understood among us that
nothing happened。 Things may have looked as though they had
happened； but they did not happen。〃
〃And you are not yet quite twenty？〃
〃No； but I am son to my motherand；〃 he added； 〃to one who can
stretch a point or two in the way of honesty as well as other
people。〃
Having said this with a laugh； he again took my father's hand
between both his； and went back to his officewhere he set himself
to think out the course he intended to take when dealing with the
Professors。
CHAPTER XVIII： YRAM INVITES DR。 DOWNIE AND MRS。 HUMDRUM TO
LUNCHEONA PASSAGE AT ARMS BETWEEN HER AND HANKY IS AMICABLY
ARRANGED
The disturbance caused by my father's outbreak was quickly
suppressed； for George got him out of the temple almost
immediately； it was bruited about； however； that the Sunchild had
come down from the palace of the sun； but had disappeared as soon
as any one had tried to touch him。 In vain did Hanky try to put
fresh life into his sermon； its back had been broken； and large
numbers left the church to see what they could hear outside； or
failing information； to discourse more freely with one another。
Hanky did his best to quiet his hearers when he found that he could
not infuriate them；
〃This poor man；〃 he said； 〃is already known to me； as one of those
who have deluded themselves into believing that they are the
Sunchild。 I have known of his so declaring himself； more than
once； in the neighbourhood of Bridgeford； and others have not
infrequently done the same； I did not at first recognize him； and
regret that the shock of horror his words occasioned me should have
prompted me to suggest violence against him。 Let this unfortunate
affair pass from your minds； and let me again urge upon you the
claims of the Sunchild Evidence Society。〃
The audience on hearing that they were to be told more about the
Sunchild Evidence Society melted away even more rapidly than
before； and the sermon fizzled out to an ignominious end quite
unworthy of its occasion。
About half…past twelve； the service ended； and Hanky went to the
robing…room to take off his vestments。 Yram； the Mayor； and Panky；
waited for him at the door opposite to that through which m