more slowly than usual that night, she thought. Once she became so very
lonely and frightened that she felt as if she must wake the others; but
she was an unselfish little girl, and she remembered how much poor Sally
had cried, and felt glad that she and Jack could forget their trouble
for a little time. So she crept quietly away without disturbing them,
and climbed slowly up the steep steps to the place where she remembered
the first window-slit in the tower came. She thought she would feel less
lonely if she could see the lamps burning in the streets, and would feel
that the world was not quite so far away as it had seemed to her during
all those long, quiet hours.

Poppy did not like to go so far from the other children, and once or
twice she turned back, but at length she climbed as far as the slit, and
looked out. There were the lamps on either side of the long street which
led to the cathedral, but they seemed a great way off, and the cathedral
close was quite dark and empty.

'There isn't anybody near,' said Poppy to herself, as she looked down.
And then she looked up,--up into the sky. It was covered with clouds
which the wind was driving wildly along, but, as Poppy looked, there
came a break in the clouds, and one little patch of sky was left clear
and uncovered. And there, shining down upon Poppy, was a star,--such a
bright beautiful star.

It made her think of heaven, and of God who made the stars. 'God is
near,' said Poppy to herself. 'Mother says He is always close beside us.
Oh, dear, I quite forgot--I've never said my prayers to-night.'

The child knelt down at once on the cold stone steps, and prayed, and
her little prayer went up higher than the towers of that great
cathedral--to the ears of the Lord, who loves little children to speak
to Him.

'O God,' prayed Poppy, 'please take care of me, and Jack, and Sally, and
please don't let mother be frightened, and please make the babies go to
sleep; for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.'

Poppy felt comforted after she had prayed; she crept down the steps
again, and wrapping her little red cloak as tightly round her as she
could, she lay down beside Sally, and fell asleep.

CHAPTER V.

FOUND AT LAST.

That was a terrible night, and one which would never be forgotten in
Grey Friars Court. Hardly any of the people of the court went to bed,
for they were all helping in the search for the lost children. The
bellman was sent up and down the city till l