art."

Just then old Billy came lumbering up around the curve behind them.

"Sho, now!" he said, surveying the wreck. "Wheel's come off."

"Exactly so, Billy. Now the question is, can we get it on?" returned
Eunice.

But something was broken, and getting it on proved impossible.

"Billy carry the cart," suggested that individual, who had a high
opinion of his own strength.

"Well, hardly, Billy,--but, oh, I have an idea! Billy, you hold up the
cart on that side, so it will run on the other wheel as the ponies draw
it, and Cricket can lead them, and Edna and I will roll the wheel along.
You said it wasn't far, Edna."

Billy lifted the side of the cart, obediently, while Cricket started the
ponies forward. This worked very well. Then Edna and Eunice armed
themselves with sticks and found that their new variety of wheel rolled
in fine style, with a little persuasion.

"What a come down," laughed Eunice. "We start out in state, and we come
back on foot."

"Let's play we're a triumphant procession," instantly suggested Cricket,
the fertile of resource. "I'll be the emperor, what was his name? The
one that conquered Zenobia. I'll be that one, and Billy is one of my
slaves, a captive of war, and you can be Zenobia, Eunice, and you're her
daughter, Edna, coming into Rome at the head of my procession after
you're conquered. You go ahead singing 'Hail to the Chief.' That's it;
march along like that. Now don't go too fast. I really ought to be
riding in the cart, but I'm afraid Billy couldn't hold me up, so I'll
play I'm tired of riding in state. Play we haven't come into the city
yet."

"I can't think how 'Hail to the Chief' goes," said Eunice, after one or
two attempts at the tune. "I keep getting into 'Hail Columbia happy
land.'"

"That won't do, for this is Rome and not Columbia we're coming to. This
is the way that 'Hail to the Chief' goes," and Cricket sang the first
line.

Now Cricket, alas, was, unfortunately, absolutely devoid of voice to
sing. She loved music dearly, but she could not keep to a tune to save
her life. Like a certain modern heroine, she could not even keep the
shape of the tune. Consequently, unless the girls had known the words,
they could not have told whether she was singing "Old Hundred," or
"Tommy, make room for your uncle."

Edna and Eunice almost doubled up with laughter. Edna sang like a little
woodthrush, and Eunice also had a sweet and tuneful voice.

"Oh, Cricket, you'll kill