ly happy. The whole party
joined in, and it was proposed that they should have races; but in the
first heat, when the donkeys broke into a canter, Liza fell off into
Tom's arms and the donkeys scampered on without her.

'I know wot I'll do,' she said, when the runaway had been recovered.
'I'll ride 'im straddlewyse.'

'Garn!' said Sally, 'yer can't with petticoats.'

'Yus, I can, an' I will too!'

So another donkey was procured, this time with a man's saddle, and
putting her foot in the stirrup, she cocked her leg over and took her
seat triumphantly. Neither modesty nor bashfulness was to be reckoned
among Liza's faults, and in this position she felt quite at ease.

'I'll git along arright now, Tom,' she said; 'you garn and
git yerself a moke, and come an' jine in.'

The next race was perfectly uproarious. Liza kicked and beat her
donkey with all her might, shrieking and laughing the white, and
finally came in winner by a length. After that they felt rather warm
and dry, and repaired to the public-house to restore themselves and
talk over the excitements of the racecourse.

When they had drunk several pints of beer Liza and Sally, with their
respective adorers and the Blakestons, walked round to find other
means of amusing themselves; they were arrested by a coconut-shy.

'Oh, let's 'ave a shy!' said Liza, excitedly, at which the unlucky men
had to pull out their coppers, while Sally and Liza made ludicrously
bad shots at the coconuts.

'It looks so bloomin' easy,' said Liza, brushing up her hair, 'but I
can't 'it the blasted thing. You 'ave a shot, Tom.'

He and Harry were equally unskilful, but Jim got three coconuts
running, and the proprietors of the show began to look on him with
some concern.

'You are a dab at it,' said Liza, in admiration.

They tried to induce Mrs. Blakeston to try her luck, but she stoutly
refused.

'I don't old with such foolishness. It's wiste of money ter me,' she
said.

'Na then, don't crack on, old tart,' remarked her husband, 'let's go
an' eat the coconuts.'

There was one for each couple, and after the ladies had sucked the
juice they divided them and added their respective shares to their
dinners and teas. Supper came next. Again they fell to sausage-rolls,
boiled eggs, and saveloys, and countless bottles of beer were added to
those already drunk.

'I dunno 'ow many bottles of beer I've drunk--I've lost count,' said
Liza; whereat there was a general laugh.

They