will have the goodness to walk in front with me. Miss Mainwaring and
her youngest sister can immediately follow us, and Sarah, you will
please to keep behind."

"Oh, lor!" ejaculated Poppy, "I thought me and Miss Jasmine was to
stay together--it's what I has been looking forward to through all the
toils of the work, and the smuts and the Sarah Janes, and the Sarah
Marys this morning. It is another biting. Well, London seems to be
made up of them. All right, Miss Slowcum, I'll keep behind. I suppose
there's nobody to forbid me gazing well into the shop windows. I hope
you'll take us into a gay street, miss, where there are lots of new
bonnets and hats to be seen."

"I'm going to walk with you, Poppy," said Jasmine; "Miss Slowcum is
very kind, but I should not think of walking with any one else.
Please, Miss Slowcum will you go in front, with Primrose and Daisy,
and Poppy and I will promise to behave very well behind."

In this order the little party did set out, and in an incredibly short
space of time they left the dull region of Penelope Mansion far
behind, and found themselves in Oxford Street, and then in Bond
Street, and finally walking along Piccadilly towards the Park.

Primrose could always restrain her emotions, but Jasmine and Poppy,
notwithstanding their promise to behave well, were certainly guilty of
many extravagant exclamations. Jasmine became nearly as excited over
the new bonnets as her companion. The picture-shops were marvels of
wonder and delight to her, and poor Miss Slowcum was obliged to draw
up short on many occasions, or she would have lost the little
loiterers, as they stood still to gaze. At last she made a proposition
which nearly took her own breath away with the magnitude of its
generosity. She would treat the entire party to a drive in the omnibus
to St. Paul's Cathedral. Poppy earnestly begged to be allowed to go
with Jasmine on the roof, but this the good lady negatived with
horror. She finally ushered her young charges into the seclusion of an
omnibus going citywards, and then was conscious of breathing a sigh of
relief. Inwardly she made a vow that never again should her
good-nature lead her into such a troublesome adventure.

"We must be solemn here, Poppy," said Jasmine, as they were entering
the cathedral; "we must forget the beautiful bonnets, and those dear
little tight-fitting jackets, and those muslin dresses. We must forget
the little story we made up of imagining ourselv