lmost vexed her. It
seemed provoking to have taken that long, exhausting walk for nothing,
and oh! how hungry and thirsty, how very hungry and thirsty she felt.

The next instant, however, her good-nature asserted itself. She said
"Hullo!" pushed her way through the laurustinus hedge, and stood in the
midst of the group.

Nell started into a sitting position, tumbling the white rats on to her
lap. She looked up at Annie. What a tumbled, dishevelled, hot, but oh,
what a pretty strange lady was this! Nell worshipped beauty with the
passion of a very hot and fervent little soul. She had scarcely noticed
Annie in the schoolroom, but now her heart went out to her with a great
throb.

"Who are you?" she said. "Where do you come from? What is your name?"

"Oh, I'm not a fairy, my good child!" said Annie. "I'm a poor, exhausted
girl, who thought she was performing a very heroic feat and finds
herself mistaken."

"Pray come in and take a seat," said Boris, who was always the soul of
gentlemanly politeness. He stood up as he spoke, tumbling his rabbits
and hares helter skelter in all directions, and tried to push back the
laurustinus hedge for Annie. She squeezed through, tearing her cotton
dress as she did so.

"Oh, dear, dear, your sweet dress is spoiled!" said Nell, in a tender
voice.

"Never mind," answered Annie; "one must lose something to attain to this
perfection."

"Won't you seat yourself?" said Boris.

He pointed to the grass, and Annie sat upon it with a sense of delight.

"How hot you are," said Nell. "What can we do for you? Would it soothe
you to stroke one of the rats? This darling, for instance. His name is
Crinklety."

Annie took the rat on her lap and looked at it reflectively.

"It's a darling," she said, "and so are the rabbits, and so are the
hares; but oh, I'm so hot and so thirsty! and oh, children, don't you
know what I've come about, and don't you know who I am?"

"No, I'm sure we don't," answered Boris. Nell stared solemnly; she did
not speak.

"Well," said Annie, "I see I must introduce myself. I am Annie Forest.
I'm Hester Thornton's friend, and I came here this morning with Hetty
and Nan, and we all started on a picnic, and when we came to Friar's
Wood, I found that you, Boris--you see I know your name--and you, Nell,
were left behind, and I could not stand it somehow; it seemed too cruel
and unfair, so I--I came back for you."

"How did you come?" asked Boris. "Did you drive back