ok found Pinkey trembling for his
safety, and determined to put a stop to these annoyances. He
disappeared for a whole day, and when Pinkey wanted to know where he
had been, he told her to wait and see. They nearly quarrelled. But
the next morning he gave her a surprise. After breakfast he announced
that he was going to take her to the Druids' picnic in his own cart,
and that Mrs Partridge had consented to mind the shop in their absence.

When Chook asked Mrs Partridge to mind the shop for the day, she jumped
at the idea. She felt that she had a gift for business which she had
wasted by not marrying the greengrocer; and now, with the shop to
herself, she would show them how to deal with the customers, and find
time in between to run her eye through Pinkey's boxes. She, too, would
have a holiday after her own heart. She decided to wear her best skirt
and blouse, to keep the customers in their place and remind them that
she was independent of their favours. She found everything ready on
her arrival. The price of every vegetable was freshly painted on the
window by Chook in white letters, and there were five shillings in
small change in the till. Lunch was set for her on the kitchen table,
a sight to make the mouth water, for Chook, remembering the days of his
courting, had ransacked the ham-and-beef shop for dainties--sheep's
trotters, brawn, pig's cheek, ham-and-chicken sausage, and a bottle of
mixed pickles. Nothing was wanting. As Chook drove off with Pinkey,
she waved her hand to them, and then, surveying the street with the air
of a proprietor, entered the shop and took possession.

They were going to Sir Joseph Banks's for the picnic; but, to Pinkey's
surprise, the cart turned into Botany Street and pulled up in front of
Sarah's cottage.

"Wotcher stoppin' 'ere for?" she inquired.

"'Cause we're goin' ter git out," said Chook, with a grin.

"Git out? Wot for? There's nobody at 'ome, Dad's at work."

"I know; that's w'y I came," said Chook, tying the reins to the seat.
"Git down, Liz; yer've got a 'ard day in front of yer."

"'Ard day? Wotcher mean?" cried Pinkey, suspiciously.

"We're goin' ter move Sarah's furniture to the new 'ouse she found in
Surry Hills," replied Chook.

"She never took no 'ouse," said Pinkey.

"No, I took it yesterday in 'er name," said Chook, grinning at Pinkey's
perplexed frown. "I wanted ter give 'er a pleasant surprise fer 'er
birthday."

"Wot about the picnic?