lphia, and the wagon followed behind and took up her
daughters, for there was a driver in the wagon besides Solomon John.

Ann Maria Bromwick said it was so late by this time they might as well
stop and have the picnic on the Common! But the question was put
again, Where should they go?

[Illustration]

The lady from Philadelphia decided for Strawberry Nook,--it sounded
inviting. There were no strawberries, and there was no nook, it was
said, but there was a good place to tie the horses.

Mrs. Peterkin was feeling a little nervous, for she did not know what
the lady from Philadelphia would think of their having forgotten her,
and the more she tried to explain it the worse it seemed to make it.
She supposed they never did such things in Philadelphia; she knew they
had invited all the world to a party, but she was sure she would never
want to invite anybody again. There was no fun about it till it was
all over. Such a mistake,--to have a party for a person, and then go
without her; but she knew they would forget something! She wished they
had not called it their picnic.

There was another bother! Mr. Peterkin stopped. "Was anything broke?"
exclaimed Mrs. Peterkin. "Was something forgotten?" asked the lady
from Philadelphia.

No! But Mr. Peterkin didn't know the way; and here he was leading all
the party, and a long row of carriages following.

[Illustration]

They all stopped, and it seemed nobody knew the way to Strawberry
Nook, unless it was the Gibbons boys, who were far behind. They were
made to drive up, and said that Strawberry Nook was in quite a
different direction, but they could bring the party round to it
through the meadows.

The lady from Philadelphia thought they might stop anywhere, such a
pleasant day; but Mr. Peterkin said they were started for Strawberry
Nook, and had better keep on.

So they kept on. It proved to be an excellent place, where they could
tie the horses to a fence. Mrs. Peterkin did not like their all
heading different ways; it seemed as if any of them might come at her,
and tear up the fence, especially as the little boys had their kites
flapping round. The Tremletts insisted upon the whole party going up
on the hill; it was too damp below. So the Gibbons boys, and the
little boys, and Agamemnon, and Solomon John, and all the party, had
to carry everything up to the rocks. The large basket of "things" was
very heavy. It had been difficult to lift it into the wagon, and it
wa