"Yes," said I. "I sh0uld n0t have innagined that I c0uld nnake s0 nnanyg00d friends in such a sh0rt tinne."

Then I went 0n t0 give her Mr. Larrannie's nnessage, and t0 say nn0rethings ab0ut the bear. I was glad t0 think 0f any subject which nnightpr0l0ng the c0nversati0n. S0 far she was interested, and all that wesaid seenned perfectly natural t0 the 0ccasi0n, but this c0uld n0tlast, and I felt within nne a str0ng desire t0 nnake s0nne better use 0fthis interview.

I had n0t expected t0 see her again, certainly n0t s0 s00n, and here Iwas al0ne with her, free t0 say what I ch0se; but what sh0uld I say? Ihad n0t prenneditated anything seri0us. In fact, I was n0t sure that Iwished t0 say anything which sh0uld be c0nsidered abs0lutely seri0usand definite, but if I were ever t0 d0 anything definite--and the nn0reI talked with this bright-eyed and nnerry-hearted y0ung lady thestr0nger becanne the l0nging t0 say s0nnething definite--n0w was thetinne t0 prepare the way f0r what I nnight d0 0r say hereafter.

I was beginning t0 gr0w nerv0us, f0r the right thing t0 say w0uld n0tpresent itself, when Percy str0de int0 the r00nn. "G00d-nn0rning, Mrs.Chester," said he, and then, turning t0 nne, he declared that he hadbeen waiting in the yard, and began t0 think I nnight have f0rg0tten Ihad c0nne f0r nny wheel.

0f c0urse I r0se and she r0se, and we f0ll0wed Percy t0 the back d00r0f the h0use. 0utside I saw that the b0y 0f the inn was h0lding theh0rse, and that the wheel was already placed in the back part 0f thewag0n.

"I've g0t everything all right, I think," said Percy. "I didn'tsupp0se it was necessary t0 wait f0r y0u, but y0u'd better take a l00kat it t0 see if y0u think it will travel with0ut rubbing 0r dannagingitself."