or, and I laid it to heart accordingly. But," with a
change of tone, "you look tired to death. You have been out in the sun
too long. I am going off now. I only came because I met the Thursbys,
and they dragged me here. Come home with me through the woods. You have
no idea how agreeable I am in the open air. It will be shady all the
way, and not half so fatiguing as being shaken in Molly's donkey-cart."

"In the donkey-cart I must return, however, if I die on the way," said
Ruth, with a tired smile. "I can't leave Molly. Besides, all is not
over yet. The races and prizes take time; and when at last they are
dismissed, a slice of--"

"No, Miss Deyncourt, _no_! Not more food!"

"A slice of cake will be applied _externally_ to each of the children,
which rite brings the festivities to a close. There! I see the dolls are
being carried out. I must go;" and a moment later Ruth and Molly and
Dare, who had been hovering near, were busily unpacking and shaking out
the dolls; and Charles, after a little desultory conversation with Mabel
Thursby, strolled away, with his hands behind his back and his nose in
the air in the manner habitual to him.

And so the day wore itself out at last; and after a hymn had been
shrieked the children were dismissed, and Ruth and Molly at length drove
away.

"Hasn't it been delicious?" said Molly. "And my doll was chosen first.
Lucy Bigg, with the rash on her face, got it. I wish little Sarah had
had it. I do love Sarah so very much; but Sarah had yours, Ruth, with
the real pocket and the handkerchief in it. That will be a surprise for
her when she gets home. And that new gentleman was so kind about the
teapots, wasn't he? He always filled mine first. He's coming to see me
very soon, and to bring a curious black dog that he has of his very own,
called--"

"Stop, Molly," said Ruth, as the donkey's head was being sawed round
towards the blazing high-road; "let us go home through the woods. I know
it is longer, but I can't stand any more sun and dust to-day."

"You do look tired," said Molly, "and your lips are quite white. My lips
turned white once, before I had the measles, and I felt very curious
inside, and then spots came all over. You don't feel like spots, do you,
Cousin Ruth? We will go back by the woods, and I'll open the gates, and
you shall hold the reins. I dare say Balaam will like it better too."

Molly had called her donkey Balaam, partly owing to a misapprehension of
Scripture