CHAPTER XX
DISAPPOINTMENT

ICK landed upon a pile of soft earth. It broke away

under his feet and threw him forward upon his
hands and knees. He got up, a little shaken but unhurt,
and stood close to the wall, looking all about quickly. A
party of gaily dressed gallants were haggling with the
horse-boys at the sheds; but they did not even look at
him. <A passing carter stared up at the window, measur-
ing the distance with his eye, whistled incredulously, and
trudged on.

Nick listened a moment, but heard only the clamor of
voices inside, and the zoon, zoon, zoon of the viol. He
was trembling all over, and his heart was beating like a
trip-hammer. He wanted to run, but was fearful of ex-
citing suspicion. Heading straight for the river, he
walked as fast as he could through the gardens and the
trees, brushing the dirt from his hose as he went.

There was a wherry just pushing out from Old Mari-
gold stairs with a single passenger, a gardener with 2
basket of truck.

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