mprehensible--and
oh, _so_ unmanly!"

The last touch went home.

"I was only in fun, grandmother," said Ralph with unusual meekness; "I
didn't mean really to vex Molly."

So peace was restored.

To-morrow turned out fine, deliriously fine.

"Not like England," said Molly superciliously, "where it _always_ rains
when you want it to be fine."

They made the most of the beautiful weather, though by no means agreeing
with aunty's reminder that even in Paris it did sometimes rain, and the
three pairs of eager feet were pretty tired by the time bed-time came.

And oh, what a disappointment the next morning brought!

The children woke to a regular, pouring wet day, no chance of fulfilling
the programme laid out, for Sylvia was subject to sore throats, and
grandmother would not let her go out in the damp, and there would be no
fun in going to the Louvre without her. So, as what can't be cured _must_
be endured, the children had just to make the best of it and amuse
themselves in the house in the hopes of sunshine again for to-morrow.
These hopes were happily fulfilled.

"A lovely day," said aunty, "all the brighter for yesterday's rain."

"And we may go to the Louvre," exclaimed Sylvia eagerly.

Aunty hesitated and turned, as everybody did when they were at a loss, to
grandmother.

"What do you think?" she said. She was reluctant to disappoint the
children--Sylvia especially--as they had all been very good the day
before, but yet----"It is Saturday, and the Louvre will be so crowded you
know, mother."

"But _I_ shall be with you," said Ralph.

"And _I_!" said grandmother. "Is not a little old lady like me equal to
taking care of you all?"

"Will you really come too, dear grandmother?" exclaimed Sylvia and Molly
in a breath. "_Oh_, how nice!"

"I should like to go," said grandmother. "It is ever so many years since
I was at the Louvre."

"Do let us go then. Oh, do let us all go," said the little girls. "You
know we are leaving on Tuesday, and something might come in the way again
on Monday."

So it was settled.

"Remember, children," said grandmother as they were all getting out of
the carriage, "remember to keep close together. You have no idea how
easily some of you might get lost in the crowd."

"_Lost!_" repeated Sylvia incredulously.

"LOST!" echoed Molly.

"LOST!" shouted Ralph so loudly that some of their fellow-sight-seers,
passing beside them into the palace, turned round to see what was th