be abed anyway by the time the early train was in, so she
couldn't worry. But all the others--"Oh dear me!" she gasped.

"Don't look so, Polly," said Alexia, "we'll start pretty soon, I
guess."

The governess, Miss Baker, came over from the opposite seat to stand in
the aisle. "I think we'll start soon," she said. But her eyes looked
worried.

"What is it--oh, Miss Baker, what is the reason we're stopping?" cried
two or three of the girls.

"I don't know," said the governess.

A man coming in from outside, where a lot of gentlemen were pouring out
of the cars to investigate, furnished the information.

"Driving wheel broken," he said, being sparing of words.

"Oh, can't we go out to see?" cried Alexia, hopping out of her seat.
"Come on," and she was prancing down the aisle.

"No, indeed," said Miss Baker in displeasure, "and do you come directly
back," she commanded.

"Oh dear me!" grumbled Alexia to Sally, who had tumbled out after her,
"she's worse than Miss Anstice--stiff, precise old thing!" She came
slowly back.

"That a young lady under my care," said Miss Baker, lifting her black
gloves in amazement, "should so far forget herself as to want to run
out on that track with a lot of men! I _am_ astonished."

"There's a girl out there," said Alexia, sinking into her seat crossly,
and peering over Polly Pepper's head.

"And there's another," proclaimed Sally triumphantly.

"Well, if they've forgotten themselves so far as to go out there under
such circumstances, I shall not let any young lady in my care do it,"
said Miss Baker emphatically.

So, swallowing their disappointment at not being allowed to see all that
presented itself, the girls settled back and made themselves as
comfortable as possible. Meantime almost everybody else poured out of
their car. But it seemed to Polly Pepper as if she never could keep
still in all this world. And she clasped her hands tightly together and
hoped nobody would speak to her just yet.

"Polly,"--Alexia gave a little push, as she leaned over,--"isn't it
perfectly dreadful to be mewed up here in this way? Say, Polly, do
talk."

"Go right away, Alexia." Polly gave a little flounce, and sat quite
straight.

"Oh dear me!" exclaimed Alexia in astonishment, and falling back.

"And I wish you would let me alone," cried Polly, quite aghast at
herself, but unable to stop.

"Oh dear me!" Alexia kept saying quite faintly, and rolling her eyes.

"Well, I'm glad Polly