warrant you, of showing herself off in her last new kirtle and gown.
But I must be going down; there is no one below, and if a customer
comes and finds the shop empty he will have but a poor idea of me,
and will think that I am away gossiping instead of attending to my
business."

"Are you hungry, young sirs?" the dame asked. "Because if so the
maid shall bring up a manchet of bread and a cup of sack; if not,
our evening meal will be served in the course of an hour."

The boys both said that they were perfectly able to wait until the
meal came; and Geoffrey added, "If you will allow us, mistress, as
doubtless you have private matters to talk of with Master Lirriper,
my brother and I will walk out for an hour to see something of the
town."

"Mind that you lose not your way," Master Lirriper said. "Do not go
beyond Eastchepe, I beg you. There are the shops to look at there,
and the fashions of dress and other matters that will occupy your
attention well enough for that short time. Tomorrow morning I will
myself go with you, and we can then wander further abroad. I have
promised your good father to look after you, you know; and it will
be but a bad beginning if you meet with any untoward adventure upon
this the first day of your arrival here."

"We will not go beyond the limits of Eastchepe; and as to adventures,
I can't see very well how any can befall us."

"Oh, there are plenty of adventures to be met with in London, young
sir; and I shall be well content if on the day when we again embark