Thorne?"

"Oh, yes, I know London," she replied. "I used to live at Kensington."

"Did you now!" cried her companion, looking at her with admiration.
"Well now, that is strange!"

Hazel could not see the strangeness of the fact, but she said nothing.

"Why, my carts used to go all round Kensington, right to Notting Hill,
and take in Chelsea and Pimlico as well."

"I really must beg of you to excuse me once more," said Hazel.

"Naughty child. Sh--sh--sh!" said little Miss Burge, shaking her
parasol at the two first girls of the rank, as Hazel went off again.
For, highly indignant at having been charged with "tiddling" her fellow
pupil. Miss Ophelia Potts had snatched herself together very tightly,
and keeping hold of Ann Straggalls' hand--the one that had a hole in the
glove--she had begun to walk as fast as she could with so much heavy
ballast as Miss Straggalls proved. The consequence was, that the girls
behind followed suit not quite so fast, the next couple caught the
infection, and then there was a hiatus, six girls straggling a long way
ahead, and after a great gap of twenty or thirty yards there was the
rest of the school. Hazel hurried after her disordered forces, and
checked the advance guard till they were joined by the rest, after which
she allowed the brother and sister to come up to her, when she once more
took her place, looking terribly conscious of the fact that Archibald
Graves was on the other side, keeping pace with them, and looking across
as if begging for a glance.

"Quite a stranger, Betsey. No; I never see him afore."

"Why, how hot and flustered you do look, my dear!" said little Miss
Burge. "The girls _is_ tiresome this morning. If that Feelier Potts
don't behave herself, she sha'n't come up to the garden to tea."

"You haven't seen my garden, Miss Thorne," said the ex-butcher.

"No."

"Ah, you'll have to come up and see my garden. My sister here will ask
you to bring up some of the best girls to take them on the lawn, and eat
cake."

"But not a bit for that naughty Feelier Potts," cried Miss Burge,
shaking her parasol at the delinquent. "Look at that now, Bill. Well,
of all the aggravating hussies."

Hazel was already on in front, to where Miss Feelier had turned what her
mother termed "stunt;" that is to say, she behaved as a horse does that
has a character for jibbing--she was not allowed to go her own pace, so
she began to walk as slowly as possible, and almost sto