pilgrims singly
and in companies were always flocking, and among these was the little
group which Chaucer has made so familiar and real to us all."

"Here's Deptford," announced John by and by, seeing the name upon some
sign. "What went on here?"

"What makes you think anything 'went on here'!" Mrs. Pitt exclaimed.
"Fancy! What a curious boy!"

"Oh!" John burst out. "That's easy enough! I haven't seen more than
about two or three places in all this country where some fellow didn't
do something, or some important thing go on."

Mrs. Pitt pushed up her veil, removed her glasses, and wiped the tears
of laughter from her eyes. "I think you are about right, John. And
something did happen here in Deptford; in fact, there were several
things. First, I'll tell you that it was here that Queen Elizabeth
came in 1581 and visited the ship in which Drake had been around the
world. The Queen dined on board the vessel and knighted Drake while
there. Event number two was the death of Christopher Marlowe, one of
the greatest of all England's dramatists. Marlowe was only thirty
years old when he was killed in a vulgar fight in a tavern. Fancy!
Poor Anne of Cleves, after the early divorce from her royal husband,
lived near Deptford, at Place House. Writers say that she used often
to go up to London, and visit the Court, just as though she had not
been (for a few short days, to be sure) the 'first lady of the land,'
as you Americans say. Poor Anne! She always seemed a pitiful character
to my mind. She couldn't help it if Henry VIII didn't find her good to
look upon!"

Beyond Deptford, as they were smoothly gliding along, all at once
there came a loud report.

"Goodness!" cried John. "What in the world was that!" Then he shouted
with laughter at the frightened expression on Betty's face.

"Dearie me! It must be a 'blow-out'! Is that the trouble, Jo? Yes?
Well, come, girls; we may as well step out." There was forced
resignation in Mrs. Pitt's voice; she was trying not to mind the
delay.

For forty minutes she and the girls sat by the roadside and watched
the chauffeur and the two boys at work on the tire. It seemed as
though every part of this operation took longer than usual. The tools
seemed never so easily mislaid; it surely was a longer task than ever
to inflate the tube, and then to fit on the wheel-rim. Finally,
however, the three rose, grimy and dusty, but triumphant, and ready to
set forth once again.

The accident came