But
he felt also in need of bodily sustenance, so he purchased a bun and a
bottle of lemonade at a neighbouring shop and sat by the roadside to
recover. There were no signs of his pursuers.
He felt reluctant to return home. It is always well to follow a
morning's absence from school by an afternoon's absence from school. A
return in the afternoon is ignominious and humiliating. William
wandered round the neighbourhood experiencing all the thrill of the
outlaw. Certainly by this time the gardener would have complained to
his father, probably the schoolmistress would have sent a note.
Also--someone had been scratched by the cat.
William decided that all things considered it was best to make a day
of it.
[Illustration: WILLIAM'S SPIRITS SANK A LITTLE AS HE APPROACHED THE
GATE. HE COULD SEE THROUGH THE TREES THE FAT CARAVAN-OWNER
GESTICULATING AT THE DOOR.]
He spent part of the afternoon in throwing stones at a scarecrow. His
aim was fairly good, and he succeeded in knocking off the hat and
finally prostrating the wooden framework. Followed--an exciting chase
by an angry farmer.
It was after tea-time when he returned home, walking with careless
bravado as of a criminal who has drunk of crime to its very depth and
flaunts it before the world. His spirits sank a little as he
approached the gate. He could see through the trees the fat
caravan-owner gesticulating at the door. Helped by the villagers, he
had tracked William.
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