round, and they've got
leave if some one will look after them. I can't. How would you like
to?"

Here was a thunderbolt! I had a fair day's work mapped out for myself
as it was. Now I was to be saddled with a pair of teasing young female
fidgets, and held responsible for their good behaviour and general
comfort! What did people take me for? Why, the Mile itself wouldn't
take it out of me half as much.

"All right," said I, "where are they?"

"I'm going home; I'll send them down sharp before the crowd comes.
Thanks awfully, youngster."

And off he went, leaving me pretty full up with the cares of this
deceitful world.

I proceeded to bag the nine best seats on the stand, which, as nobody
else had yet put in an appearance, was easy enough without the trying
necessity of sitting on them all at the same time. When the crowd
arrived, it would be time enough to consider how I should then have to
act.

I had not been long in possession when two dainty little figures in pink
bore down hand-in-hand upon me, presumably under the protection of a
nurse, who, however, was not in it when it came to racing.

"There's horrid Sarah," remarked Mamie, "who tried to drown me."

"Never mind," said Gladys, "he was nearly burned to death to punish him
for being wicked."

"I hate him because he never gives us sweeties," said Mamie.

"Never mind," said Gladys; "Bobby says it's not his fault that he's a
mule. I don't like mules though, do you?"

"I hate them," said the uncompromising Mamie.

"Please, Master Jones," said the nurse, "the mistress says will you see
the young ladies behave nicely and don't dirty their frocks? Be good
girls now," she added, by way of final admonition, as she departed.

I watched her go with the helpless despair of a man on a spar who
watches the lifeboat put off with its last load for the shore. The
young ladies, almost before nurse was gone, began to run along the rows
of chairs, falling down once in twelve, and rapidly toning down the
pretty pink of their frocks to a sombre brick hue. I was thankful when
the crowd began to drop in, and I was able, by threats of taking them
home before the races began, to reduce them at least to the nine seats
for which I was responsible. How I wished I had some sweets, in order
to reduce them to only three!

By good luck Dicky Brown hove in sight just as I was giving way to
despair.

"Dicky, old chap," said I, "if you love me, get sixpennyworth of bu