e. We are to be at Murray's in the
High Street at eleven o'clock."

Pauline turned and walked soberly by her sister's side.

"Are you as tired as ever this morning, Paulie?" asked Verena.

"I am not tired at all," replied Pauline.

Verena considered for a minute.

"Aunt Sophy is often anxious about you," she said. "I can't imagine why,
but she is. She says that she doesn't think you are at all strong."

"Oh, I am!" interrupted Pauline. "I wish she wouldn't worry about me. I
wish you'd tell her not to worry. I am really as strong as any girl could
be. Do tell her not to fret about me any more."

"Where is Pen?" said Verena suddenly.

Pauline did not speak.

"I suppose she is down on the beach as usual," said Verena again in a
careless tone. "She's always down there. She is such a queer little
mite!"

"Don't let's talk about her," said Pauline almost crossly.

The girls turned their conversation to other matters, and when they
joined Miss Tredgold at Murray's shop they had both forgotten the
existence of their little sister Penelope.

Meanwhile that young person was having a good time. Having gained her
wish, she was in excellent spirits, and was determined to make herself
extremely agreeable to the Carvers. She thought them quite nice children.
They were different from the children at home. They had lived almost all
their lives in London. They told Pen a good many stories about London. It
was the only place worth living in, Harry Carver said. When you went out
there you always turned your steps in the direction of the Zoo. Pen asked
what the Zoo was. Harry Carver gave her a glance of amazement.

"Why, it's chock-full of wild beasts," he said.

Pen thought this a most exciting description. Her cheeks paled; her eyes
grew big. She clasped hold of Harry's arm and said in a trembling voice:

"Are you joking, or do you mean real lions and bears and tigers?"

"I mean real lions and bears and tigers," said Harry. "Oh, if you only
heard the lions roar! We see them fed, too. It is fun to hear them
growling when they get their meat; and the way they lick it--oh, it's
most exciting!"

"So it is," said Nellie Carver. "It's awful fun to go to the Zoo."

"You must be very courageous," said Pen, who did not know that the wild
beasts were confined in cages.

Neither Eleanor nor Harry Carver thought it worth while to enlighten Pen
with regard to this particular; on the contrary, they determined to keep
it to themse