e children could
not be heard by the passers-by, but were drowned by the noisy,
blustering wind. They shouted until they were hoarse, but no help came,
and at last even Jack was obliged to acknowledge that he was afraid
there was no help for it, but that they must make up their minds to stay
there for the night.

'Oh, dear, whatever will mother do without me!' said Poppy; 'she'll have
nobody to help her; I _must_ get back to my babies. Oh, Jack, Jack, I
_must_ get back to my babies.'

'But you _can't_ get back, Poppy,' said Jack mournfully; 'there's nothing
for it but waiting till morning.'

'I'm so cold,' sobbed Sally, 'and I want my tea; whatever shall we do
without our tea?'

'It can't be helped,' said Jack, 'and it's no good crying; let's go to
the bottom of the tower again, it's not so windy there as it is up
here.'

It was hard work getting down in the dark, and with the whistling wind
rushing in upon them at every turn; the old stone steps were worn away
in many places, for thousands of feet had trodden them since the day
they were put in their places, and the children sometimes lost their
footing, and would have fallen had they not held so tightly to each
other.

When they reached the bottom of the stone staircase they crouched
together close to the door, in the most sheltered corner they could
find, and tried to keep each other warm. But it was a bitterly cold
night, and the rough noisy wind came tearing and howling down the
staircase, and found them out in their hiding-place, and made them
shiver from head to foot. And as the hours went by, they felt more and
more hungry; their long walk had given them a good appetite, and they
had had a very early dinner.

Poor little Sally cried incessantly, and the others did all they could
to cheer her; but she refused to be comforted, and at last she was so
tired and exhausted that she sobbed herself to sleep. Jack soon
afterwards followed her example and fell asleep beside her, and only
poor Poppy was awake, crying quietly to herself, and thinking of her
mother and of Enoch and Elijah. She was too anxious and too much
troubled to sleep, and the hours seemed very long to her. It was such a
lonely place in which to spend the night: there was no sound to be heard
but the howling of the wind and the striking of the great cathedral
clock, which made Poppy jump every time it struck the hour.

How long it seemed to Poppy from one hour to another; the time went much