oes, and Agamemnon had brought an umbrella, and
the little boys had their mittens. Their india-rubber boots,
fortunately, they had on, in the character of birds. But Solomon John
had worn a fur cap, and Elizabeth Eliza a muff. Should they lose all
these valuables entirely, and go home in the cold without them? No, it
would be better to wait till everybody had gone, and then look
carefully over the floors for the checks; if only the little boys
could know where Agamemnon had been, they were willing to look. Mr.
Peterkin was not sure as they would have time to reach the train.
Still, they would need something to wear, and he could not tell the
time. He had not brought his watch. It was a Waltham watch, and he
thought it would not be in character for Peter the Great to wear it.

At this moment the strains of "Home, Sweet Home" were heard from the
band, and people were seen preparing to go.

"All can go home, but we must stay," said Mrs. Peterkin, gloomily, as
the well-known strains floated in from the larger hall.

A number of marshals came to the refreshment-room, looked at them,
whispered to each other, as the Peterkins sat in a row.

"Can we do anything for you?" asked one at last. "Would you not like
to go?" He seemed eager they should leave the room.

Mr. Peterkin explained that they could not go, as they had lost the
checks for their wraps, and hoped to find their checks on the floor
when everybody was gone. The marshal asked if they could not describe
what they had worn, in which case the loss of the checks was not so
important, as the crowds had now almost left, and it would not be
difficult to identify their wraps. Mrs. Peterkin eagerly declared she
could describe every article.

It was astonishing how the marshals hurried them through the quickly
deserted corridors, how gladly they recovered their garments! Mrs.
Peterkin, indeed, was disturbed by the eagerness of the marshals; she
feared they had some pretext for getting the family out of the hall.
Mrs. Peterkin was one of those who never consent to be forced to
anything. She would not be compelled to go home, even with strains of
music. She whispered her suspicions to Mr. Peterkin; but Agamemnon
came hastily up to announce the time, which he had learned from the
clock in the large hall. They must leave directly if they wished to
catch the latest train, as there was barely time to reach it.

Then, indeed, was Mrs. Peterkin ready to leave. If they should mi