but each collection had four or five cards that the others had not.
After long consideration, Mr. Imber handed the five shillings to Mary.

Gregory's was the only really original collection, for, taking
advantage of the circumstance that Mr. Imber had said nothing about the
postcards being strictly of Stratford-on-Avon, he had bought only what
pleased himself: all being what are called comic cards--dreadful
pictures of mothers-in-law, and twins, and surprised lovers.

Mr. Imber laughed, and told him to keep them.

"Now," said Gregory, selecting a peculiarly vulgar picture of a bull
tossing a red-nosed man into a cucumber frame, "I shall send this to
Miss Bingham."

"Gregory!" exclaimed Janet; "you shall do nothing of the kind."

"Why not?" Gregory asked. "She'll only laugh, and say: 'How coarse!'"

"No," said Janet, "we'll take them back to the shop, and change them
for nice ones."

"Oh, no, not all," Gregory pleaded. "Collins would love this one of the
policeman with a cold pie being put into his hand by the cook behind
his back."

"Very well," said Janet, "you may send her that, especially as we're
getting her some pretty ones."

"Yes," said Gregory, "and Eliza must have this one of the soldier
pushing the twins in the perambulator."

"Very well," said Janet, "but no others."

"Oh, yes," said Gregory, "there's Runcie. I'm sure she'd love this one
of the curate being pulled both ways at once by two fat women. She's so
religious."

After tea they walked to Shottery to see Anne Hathaway's cottage,
although not even Hester could be very keen about the poet's wife.
Hester, indeed, had it firmly in her head that she was not kind to him.
"Otherwise," she said, "he would have left her his best bed instead of
his second-best bed."

None the less Hester was very glad to have Mr. Imber's present of
little china models of the cottage and the birthplace. To the others he
gave either these or coloured busts of Shakespeare; and to Gregory an
ivory pencil-case containing a tiny piece of glass into which you
peeped and saw twelve views of Stratford-on-Avon.

After dinner they sat down to the serious task of writing on the
picture postcards which they had bought for themselves, while Gregory
earned sixpence by sticking stamps on Mr. Imber's vast supply. Jack
felt it his duty also to write to William:

DEAR WILLIAM,

"Thanks for your very kind and informing letter. We are glad you are
having such a good time. Th