heeks showed more than ever. You could have laid
a sixpence on them quite safely if you had had one.

'Never mind,' said Noel; 'I've got a lot of money. Come out and have a
ride now.' But the little girl shook her head and said she was afraid it
would not be correct.

Dora said she was quite right; then all of a sudden came one of those
uncomfortable times when nobody can think of anything to say, so we sat
and looked at each other. But at last Alice said we ought to be going.

'Do not go yet,' the little girl said. 'At what time did they order your
carriage?'

'Our carriage is a fairy one, drawn by griffins, and it comes when we
wish for it,' said Noel.

The little girl looked at him very queerly, and said, 'That is out of a
picture-book.'

Then Noel said he thought it was about time he was married if we were to
be home in time for tea. The little girl was rather stupid over it,
but she did what we told her, and we married them with Dora's
pocket-handkerchief for a veil, and the ring off the back of one of the
buttons on H. O.'s blouse just went on her little finger.

Then we showed her how to play cross-touch, and puss in the corner,
and tag. It was funny, she didn't know any games but battledore and
shuttlecock and les graces. But she really began to laugh at last and
not to look quite so like a doll.

She was Puss and was running after Dicky when suddenly she stopped short
and looked as if she was going to cry. And we looked too, and there were
two prim ladies with little mouths and tight hair. One of them said in
quite an awful voice, 'Pauline, who are these children?' and her voice
was gruff; with very curly R's.

The little girl said we were Princes and Princesses--which was silly, to
a grown-up person that is not a great friend of yours.

The gruff lady gave a short, horrid laugh, like a husky bark, and said--

'Princes, indeed! They're only common children!'

Dora turned very red and began to speak, but the little girl cried out
'Common children! Oh, I am so glad! When I am grown up I'll always play
with common children.'

And she ran at us, and began to kiss us one by one, beginning
with Alice; she had got to H. O. when the horrid lady said--'Your
Highness--go indoors at once!'

The little girl answered, 'I won't!'

Then the prim lady said--'Wilson, carry her Highness indoors.'

And the little girl was carried away screaming, and kicking with her
little thin legs and her buttoned boots, and