h Eliza carry out? If they had an ark, as
Mrs. Shem she might crawl in and out of the roof constantly, if it
were not too high. But Mr. Peterkin thought it as difficult to take an
ark into town as Solomon John's boat.

The evening came. But with all their preparations they got to the hall
late. The entrance was filled with a crowd of people, and, as they
stopped at the cloak-room, to leave their wraps, they found themselves
entangled with a number of people in costume coming out from a
dressing-room below. Mr. Peterkin was much encouraged. They were thus
joining the performers. The band was playing the "Wedding March" as
they went upstairs to a door of the hall which opened upon one side of
the stage. Here a procession was marching up the steps of the stage,
all in costume, and entering behind the scenes.

"We are just in the right time," whispered Mr. Peterkin to his family;
"they are going upon the stage; we must fall into line."

The little boys had their feather-dusters ready.

Some words from one of the managers made Mr. Peterkin understand the
situation.

"We are going to be introduced to Mr. Dickens," he said.

"I thought he was dead!" exclaimed Mrs. Peterkin, trembling.

"Authors live forever!" said Agamemnon in her ear.

At this moment they were ushered upon the stage.

The stage manager glared at them, as he awaited their names for
introduction, while they came up all unannounced,--a part of the
programme not expected. But he uttered the words upon his lips, "Great
Expectations;" and the Peterkin family swept across the stage with the
rest: Mr. Peterkin costumed as Peter the Great, Mrs. Peterkin as
Cleopatra, Agamemnon as Noah, Solomon John as Christopher Columbus,
Elizabeth Eliza in yellow flannel as Mrs. Shem, with a large,
old-fashioned bonnet on her head as Mrs. Columbus, and the little boys
behind as two doves and a raven.

Across the stage, in face of all the assembled people, then following
the rest down the stairs on the other side, in among the audience,
they went; but into an audience not dressed in costume!

There were Ann Maria Bromwick and the Osbornes,--all the
neighbors,--all as natural as though they were walking the streets at
home, though Ann Maria did wear white gloves.

"I had no idea you were to appear in character," said Ann Maria to
Elizabeth Eliza; "to what booth do you belong?"

"We are no particular author," said Mr. Peterkin.

"Ah, I see, a sort of varieties' booth,"