wraps; then Wilmet, Fulbert, Lance, and Robina--nowhere in
particular, and lastly Papa, making room for Clement between himself
and the good-humoured lad of a driver, who had not long ago been a
member of the choir, while Felix, whom nothing could tire on that
day, dived rapidly down a complication of alleys, declaring he should
be up with the walkers long before they were overtaken by the van.

Next appeared Mr. Audley, with his pretty chestnut horse, offering in
the plenitude of his good-nature to give Lance a ride, whereupon
vociferous '_me toos_' resounded from within the curtains; and the
matter was compounded on ride and tie principles, in which the
Underwood juniors got all the ride, and Mr. Audley all the _tie_--if
that consisted in walking and holding the bridle.

By the time the very long and dull suburbs of Bexley were passed,
with their interminable villas and rows of little ten-pound houses--
the children's daily country walk, poor things! the two elder boys
and their sister were overtaken, the latter now very glad to
condescend to the van.

'Oh, how nice to get beyond our tiresome old tether!' she said,
arranging herself a peep-hole between the curtains. 'I am so sick of
all those dusty black beeches, and formal evergreens. How can you
stare at them so, Cherry?'

But Geraldine was in a quiet trance of delight; she had never spoken
a word since she had first found a chink in the awning, but had
watched with avid eyes the moving panorama of houses, gardens, trees,
flowers, carriages, horses, passengers, nursemaids, perambulators,
and children. It was all a perfect feast to the long-imprisoned eyes,