لخّصلي

Oliver walked twenty miles that day and all that time tasted nothing but a crust of dry bread, and a few mouthfuls of water. When the night came, he turned into a field and crept under a haystack, determined to lie there until moming. He felt frightened at first, for the wind moaned sadly over the empty fields. He was cold and hungry, and more alone than he had ever felt before. Being very stred with his walk, however, he soon fell asleep and forgot his troubles

He spent the next seven days walking and begging for food and water. Most people ignored him but a few kind-hearted people offered him small amounts of food that helped him to continue his journey. Finally, he reached a small town just outside London. The sun was nsing in all its splendid beauty, but the light only served to show the boy his own loneliness, as he sat, with bleeding feet and covered with dust, upon a doorstep. He sat quietly watching people and thinking of how far he had come. He noticed that a boy, who had passed him carelessly some minutes before, had returned, and was now surveying him from the opposite side of the street. He did not give him any attention at first, but the boy continued to observe him for so long, that Oliver raised his head, and retumed his steady look. Upon this, the boy crossed over, and walking close up to Oliver, saad "Hello! Are you ok?"

The boy was about Oliver's age but was one of the strangest looking boys that Oliver had ever seen He was a stubby-nosed, flat-browed, common-faced boy, and was as dirty as one could imagine. but he had the airs and manners of a man. He was short for his age with rather bent legs, and little, sharp, ugly eyes. His hat was stuck on the top of his head so lightly, that it threatened to fall off every moment and would have done so, very often, if he had not had a habit of every now and then giving his head a sudden twitch, which brought it back to its old place again. He wore a man's coat, which reached nearly to his heels. He had rolled the sleeves up, half-way up his arms and had his hands planted in the pockets of his corduroy trousers.

"I am very hungry and tired, "replied Oliver, the tears standing in his eyes as he spoke. "I have 3 walked a long way. I have been walking these seven days."

"Walking for seven days!" said the young gentleman. "Oh, I see. Come, you want food, and you shall have it Up with you!"

Assisting Oliver to rise, the young gentleman took him to a nearby shop, where he purchased some meat and a half loaf of bread. He gave them to Oliver who made a long and hearty meal, during the progress of which the strange boy eyed him from time to time with great attention.