lves. It was nice to have a little girl like Pen looking at
them with awe.

"It isn't everybody who can go to the Zoo," proceeded Harry. "There are
people that the wild beasts don't ever care to touch. Nellie and I are
that sort; we're made that way. We walk about amongst them; we stroke
them and pet them. I often sit on the neck of a lion, and quite enjoy
myself."

"My pet beast for a ride is a panther," said Nellie, her eyes sparkling
with fun at her own delicious ideas; "but most children can never ride on
lions and panthers."

"I don't believe you ride on them," said Pen. "You don't look half brave
enough for that."

"Why don't you think us brave?" asked Harry. "You are not a nice girl
when you talk in that way. You wouldn't even be brave enough to ride on
the elephants. Oh, it's very jolly for the real brave people when they go
to the Zoo."

"And is that the only place to go to in London?" asked Pen.

As she spoke she quickened her steps, for the children were now crossing
the extreme end of the promontory round which was the celebrated White
Bay.

"There are other places. There's the British Museum, full of books. There
are miles and miles of books in London, and miles and miles of pictures."

"What an awful place!" said Pen, who had no love for either books or
pictures. "Don't tell me any more about it. Go on ascribing the wild
animals. Is there serpents at the Zoo?"

"Tons of 'em. When they have gorged a rabbit or a lamb or a girl whole,
they lie down and sleep for about a week."

"They don't gorge girls!"

"They think nothing of it; that is, if the girl is the sort of child they
don't like."

"I won't go," said Pen. "I am not the sort of child the wild beasts would
love. I think maybe I might be crunched up by the lions. I shan't go."

"Well, no one asked you," said Harry. "You are quite certain to be eaten,
so you had best stay away."

"Why do you say that?"

Harry glanced at his sister. Nellie laughed. Harry laughed also.

"Why do you talk in that way, you horrid boy?" said Pen, stamping her
foot. "What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you, only you need not try to kill me with your eyes. The wild
beasts only like good uns. You ain't good. The wild beasts would soon
find that out."

For some extraordinary reason Pen found herself turning pale. She had a
moment of actual fear. At this instant she would have resigned the
thimble--the golden thimble, with its sapphire top and turquoise rim--to