th things.

It was decided that Mr. and Mrs. Peterkin should dine at the
Bromwicks, who had been most neighborly in their offers, and the rest
should get something to eat at the baker's.

Agamemnon and Elizabeth Eliza hastened away to be ready to receive the
carts at the other house, and direct the furniture as they could.
After all there was something exhilarating in this opening of the new
house, and in deciding where things should go. Gayly Elizabeth Eliza
stepped down the front garden of the new home, and across the piazza,
and to the door. But it was locked, and she had no keys!

"Agamemnon, did you bring the keys?" she exclaimed.

No, he had not seen them since the morning,--when--ah!--yes, the
little boys were allowed to go to the house for their india-rubber
boots, as there was a threatening of rain. Perhaps they had left some
door unfastened--perhaps they had put the keys under the door-mat. No,
each door, each window, was solidly closed, and there was no mat!

"I shall have to go to the school to see if they took the keys with
them," said Agamemnon; "or else go home to see if they left them
there." The school was in a different direction from the house, and
far at the other end of the town; for Mr. Peterkin had not yet changed
the boys' school, as he proposed to do after their move.

"That will be the only way," said Elizabeth Eliza; for it had been
arranged that the little boys should take their lunch to school, and
not come home at noon.

She sat down on the steps to wait, but only for a moment, for the
carts soon appeared, turning the corner. What should be done with the
furniture? Of course the carters must wait for the keys, as she should
need them to set the furniture up in the right places. But they could
not stop for this. They put it down upon the piazza, on the steps, in
the garden, and Elizabeth Eliza saw how incongruous it was! There was
something from every room in the house! Even the large family chest,
which had proved too heavy for them to travel with, had come down from
the attic, and stood against the front door.

And Solomon John appeared with the carpet woman, and a boy with a
wheelbarrow, bringing the new carpet. And all stood and waited. Some
opposite neighbors appeared to offer advice and look on, and Elizabeth
Eliza groaned inwardly that only the shabbiest of their furniture
appeared to be standing full in view.

[Illustration]

It seemed ages before Agamemnon returned, and