The N. S. Bicycle. 63

against the piazza, and looking as good and de-
mure as any ordinary machine could do. But
Gordon did not trust it, and running to the stable,
got a strong rope and tied it firmly to the piazza
post. Then he went in to his mother, whom he
found sobbing bitterly. Running to her and
throwing his arms about her, he told her the whole
wonderful story, and oh, how glad she was to
see him.

“And I thought,” she said, “that I had lost
my dear boy. Men are searching for you in every
direction, while you, poor little fellow, were in
Boreborough, forty miles away.”

She kissed him again and again and after he
had eaten something, for he was faint with hun-
ger, he went to bed and slept till eleven o'clock
the next day.

“Now, Gordon,” said his mother, ‘the first
thing to do is to make the shop-man take back
the bicycle. I will go with you and help you pull
it, for you must not get on it again,” and Gordon
was very willing to obey.

So they led the machine back, and it did not