HOMING BIRDS. 101 



door, and with a shout of triumph as he saw me waiting, darted like an arrow on 



his way. In a few seconds, that seemed to me an eternity, John rushed to me 



with my bird. I snatched it from his hands, and ran as I never ran before or 



since, for there was not a moment to be lost. Still, with great speed I was sure 



of the prize ; and I need not say I did my very best. I reached the corner of the 



street in which the Blue Lion stood, and leaned inwards, like a horse in a circus, 



as I turned the angle at my utmost speed. But, alas for the vanity of human 



hopes ! An old woman, with a basket of apples suspended from her waist by a 



strap, was just round the corner ; and I came full tilt against her. I am not very 



heavy; but impetus is the result of weight and velocity conjoined, and what I 



wanted in one was made up by the other; the consequence of the collision was 



that the old woman went over backwards, and I went over the old woman. Where 



the apples went I do not know ; but I believe some of the boys round about 



could tell better than any other persons. My best mealy skinnum, that had 



virtually won the race, escaped in the collision, and went home again. I picked 



myself up without loss of time, and looked towards the Blue Lion — only to see 



my detested competitor and the landlord laughing at the unlucky chance which 



had robbed me of the prize. 



