before
long.

"It's no good for me to try and persuade him," thought Walter; "it
'ud only make him go the other way. I _wish_ I hadn't gone with him;
it's quite spoilt my day. I didn't get a holiday and come all this way
from home just to spend the afternoon in a stuffy public-house, nor on
the pavement outside, neither. It's six o'clock--there's the clock
striking.--Chris, we shall only just get back to the palace in time to
meet Mr. Richardson," he said aloud, beginning to walk very fast. "You
know he's got all the tickets--we can't go without him."

"All right--plenty o' time," rejoined Chris, speaking rather thickly,
and lagging behind in a most irritating way.

Walter thought he never should get him to the gate, but they reached
it at last. He thought it was the same man and the same entrance they
had come in by before, but really both were quite different. The
gatekeeper said at once,--

"Where's your money? But you can only stay five minutes."

"Oh, we paid this morning," replied Chris. "Don't you remember a big
party with red rosettes on?"

"You can't come in again, anyhow, without paying. And _you_ haven't no
red rosettes."

"Yes, I have; it's in my pocket," said Walter, beginning to feel for
it. But, alas! it was gone--drawn out, most likely, with his
handkerchief.

"Why did you make me take it off?" he said crossly. "Get out yours,
Chris, and show it."

"Mine? Threw the old thing away hours ago. Not such a fool as I look,"
answered Chris rudely.--"I'm going through here, so you can just stop
your row," he continued insolently to the gatekeeper, with a vague
idea of obtaining admiration from the crowds now coming out through
the turnstile.

The gatekeeper looked at him contemptuously for a moment, and then
gave a little whistle. Instantly two very tall policemen appeared.

"Just turn these two chaps out, will you?" said he. "They're regular
holiday-keepers, they are. Been at the Palace Arms, I should say, most
of the day."

"Now then, you clear out," said the policemen, with voice and manner
that even Chris dared not disregard.

"Please, we want to go to the station. We're to meet the others to go
by the half-past six train," said Walter desperately.

"You must look sharp, then--it's just off. There, be off down those
steps as hard as you can split."

Walter obeyed. In his anxiety he forgot all about Chris; and not even
when he reached the bottom of the steps, and caught sight of Mr.
Ric