company till 'e comes. An' you can see the 'orses.'

Liza was really very anxious to see the brake and the horses and the
people going; but she hesitated a little longer. Sally asked her once
again. Then she said:

'Arright; I'll come with yer, and wite till the bloomin' old thing
starts.'

She did not trouble to put on a hat, but just walked out as she was,
and accompanied Sally to the public-house which was getting up the
expedition.

Although there was still nearly half an hour to wait, the brake was
drawn up before the main entrance; it was large and long, with seats
arranged crosswise, so that four people could sit on each; and it was
drawn by two powerful horses, whose harness the coachman was now
examining. Sally was not the first on the scene, for already half a
dozen people had taken their places, but Harry had not yet arrived.
The two girls stood by the public-door, looking at the preparations.
Huge baskets full of food were brought out and stowed away; cases of
beer were hoisted up and put in every possible place--under the seats,
under the driver's legs, and even beneath the brake. As more people
came up, Sally began to get excited about Harry's non-appearance.

'I say, I wish 'e'd come!' she said. ''E is lite.'

Then she looked up and down the Westminster Bridge Road to see if he
was in view.

'Suppose 'e don't turn up! I will give it 'im when 'e comes for
keepin' me witin' like this.'

'Why, there's a quarter of an hour yet,' said Liza, who saw nothing at
all to get excited about.

At last Sally saw her lover, and rushed off to meet him. Liza was left
alone, rather disconsolate at all this bustle and preparation. She was
not sorry that she had refused Tom's invitation, but she did wish that
she had conscientiously been able to accept it. Sally and her friend
came up; attired in his Sunday best, he was a fit match for his
lady-love--he wore a shirt and collar, unusual luxuries--and be
carried under his arm a concertina to make things merry on the way.

'Ain't you goin', Liza?' he asked in surprise at seeing her without a
hat and with her apron on.

'Na,' said Sally, 'ain't she a soft? Tom said 'e'd tike 'er, an' she
wouldn't.'

'Well, I'm dashed!'

Then they climbed the ladder and took their seats, so that Liza was
left alone again. More people had come along, and the brake was nearly
full. Liza knew them all, but they were too busy taking their places
to talk to her. At last Tom came. H