BEECHNUT’S RETURN. 69

Driving about town. The depot. The baggage.

 

“Thirty-three, Kilby-street.”
The porter shut the coach door when Beechnut had
taken his seat, and then the coachman drove on.

Beechnut spent an hour in driving rapidly from place
to place about the city, attending to the business which
had. been committed to him. At some places he made
purchases, and brought out the parcels which contained
what he bought and put them into the coach. At other
places he left directions to have the goods sent to Fran-
conia by express, sometimes because the quantity was too
great for him to take along with him, and sometimes be-
cause the things could not be got ready in time for him
to take them. At length he ordered the hackman to
drive him to the railway station, and he reached it just as
the first bell was ringing, which was ten minutes before
the train was to leave.

He bought his ticket at the ticket-office, and then went
along with his valise to the place where the baggage was
to be checked. There was a preat pile of trunks, carpet-
bags, and portmanteaus there, and the baggage-master
was attaching checks to them. There was a young girl
standing by, with a trunk and a band-box near her, wait-
ing for her turn, and looking anxious and. distressed.
Beechnut asked. her if he could help her.

“T want to get a check for my baggage,” said she,
‘and I am afraid there will not be time; for the bell has
rang already.”

“Oh yes, there will be time,” said Beechnut. “’'They
will not start till all the baggage is taken in. Where are
you going P”

The girl told Beechnut where she was going, and so