oroughly explained that she went to the races on
the first day in a gig, and as an expedition of pleasure, and that her
presence there had no connexion with any matters of business or
profit--was, that the town was eight miles off.

This discouraging information a little dashed the child, who could
scarcely repress a tear as she glanced along the darkening road. Her
grandfather made no complaint, but he sighed heavily as he leaned upon
his staff, and vainly tried to pierce the dusty distance.

The lady of the caravan was in the act of gathering her tea equipage
together preparatory to clearing the table, but noting the child's
anxious manner she hesitated and stopped. The child curtseyed, thanked
her for her information, and giving her hand to the old man had already
got some fifty yards or so away, when the lady of the caravan called to
her to return.

'Come nearer, nearer still,' said she, beckoning to her to ascend the
steps. 'Are you hungry, child?'

'Not very, but we are tired, and it's--it IS a long way.'

'Well, hungry or not, you had better have some tea,' rejoined her new
acquaintance. 'I suppose you are agreeable to that, old gentleman?'

The grandfather humbly pulled off his hat and thanked her. The lady of
the caravan then bade him come up the steps likewise, but the drum
proving an inconvenient table for two, they descended again, and sat
upon the grass, where she handed down to them the tea-tray, the bread
and butter, the knuckle of ham, and in short everything of which she
had partaken herself, except the bottle which she had already embraced
an opportunity of slipping into her pocket.

'Set 'em out near the hind wheels, child, that's the best place,' said
their friend, superintending the arrangements from above. 'Now hand up
the teapot for a little more hot water, and a pinch of fresh tea, and
then both of you eat and drink as much as you can, and don't spare
anything; that's all I ask of you.'

They might perhaps have carried out the lady's wish, if it had been
less freely expressed, or even if it had not been expressed at all.
But as this direction relieved them from any shadow of delicacy or
uneasiness, they made a hearty meal and enjoyed it to the utmost.

While they were thus engaged, the lady of the caravan alighted on the
earth, and with her hands clasped behind her, and her large bonnet
trembling excessively, walked up and down in a measured tread and very
stately manner, surveyin