d altogether to elevenpence, halfpennies and
farthings included. These she tied up in a handkerchief, and put in her
pocket. Then she went to the pantry, and took from it a loaf of bread
and some Dutch cheese, which she put into a basket.

This done, she called sharply to Duncan to make haste, for she was
"going to have a run on the moor before school." Robbie asked timidly if
he might come too, but Elsie would not hear of it.

"You can tell granny when she comes downstairs that we're not coming
home to dinner. I've taken our dinner in a basket," she said to Robbie.

The little fellow stood at the door, and watched them wistfully as they
ran off. It was dull to turn back into the empty kitchen, and wait there
till the old dame came downstairs. If Robbie could have put his feelings
into words, he would have said that he would have been happier roughing
it with Duncan and Elsie than with the constant care and consideration
that separated him from them. Perhaps, after all, Farmer Jarrett was
right.

Elsie was in an extraordinary state of excitement this morning. She
danced along, laughing and talking merrily. Duncan wondered to see her
in such spirits, for it was seldom that she had nothing to grumble at.

By-and-by they reached a point where there were two roads: the one
leading to the village, the other a short cut to the school, running
along the back of the village. Elsie took the long one.

"Where are you going?" Duncan asked, in astonishment.

Elsie looked at him gleefully, and burst out laughing. "I don't mind
telling you now," she replied; "you can't let it out. We're going to
England, and we've got the whole day before us, for granny won't expect
us home till after afternoon school, and mother won't be home till
sunset. Oh! wasn't it just a capital idea of mine?"

"To England?" echoed Duncan, somewhat ruefully, for the idea was, after
all, sudden enough to take him aback. "Then let's be quick, Elsie. Shall
we get there to-night?"

"That depends," Elsie returned, with the air of a person who knows all
about it. "If we get a lift on the road, we shall get along quickly."

It had occurred to her that they might not reach London that evening,
but she was not daunted by the thought, for she had a plan in her mind
in case of such an event, only she considered it wiser to keep Duncan in
ignorance of any possible difficulty.

CHAPTER VI.--ON THE WAY.

As far as the village the way was straight enough. Elsie