144 FOLKESTONE. 



CHAPTER XVH. 



FOLKESTONE. 



WHEN the time arrived for crossing the Channel into 

 France, Lawrence said to John, on the morning of the day 

 before, that he had a bargain to propose to him. 



" Good !" said John ; " I agree to it beforehand." 



" You know," continued Lawrence, " that there are four 

 or five different routes of travel from London to Paris, 

 crossing the Channel at different points. Now the bargain 

 which I have to propose is, that you shall choose the route 

 for us to take, without my having any thing to say about 

 it, on two conditions." 



"Very well," said John ; " let us hear the conditions." 



" The first is," said Lawrence, " that you are not to de< 

 cide blindly. You are to 'study up' the subject, as they 

 say in the guide-books, and find out what are the relative 

 advantages and disadvantages of the different routes." 



" I agree to that," said John. 



"And the second is," continued Lawrence, "that you are 

 to take the whole charge of both of us on the passage. I 

 am to have nothing to do but to be quiet and do as you 

 say." 

 . "And how about the money?" asked John. 



"Of course," said Lawrence, "I am to put you in funds 

 before you set out." 



John was much pleased with this proposition, and was 

 ready to agree to it at once. After a very careful and 

 thorough research in the guide-books, he decided upon the 

 route through Folkestone and Boulogne. 



