Mr. Bombus; "but we 've got
beyond that. We 're in By-and-by. Did n't you hear your mother say it
would be October by and by, and it _is_ October. Time is jogging on,
back there in the world; but we beat him, you see, and are safe and
sound--far ahead of him--in By-and-by. Things are being done here that
are always _going_ to be done behind there. It's great fun."

But at these words Betty's face grew very grave, and a sudden thought
struck her that was anything but "great fun." Would she be set to
doing all the things she had promised to do "by and by"?

"I 'm afraid so," said Mr. Bombus, replying to her question though she
had only _thought_ it. "I told you it depended on one's self if one
were going to like By-and-by or not. Evidently you 're _not_. Oh!
going so soon? You must have been a lazy little girl to be set about
settling your account as quick as this. See you later! Good--"

But again he was not permitted to say "by," for before he could fairly
get the word out, Betty was whisked away, and Mr. Bombus stood solitary
and alone under a bare maple-tree, chuckling to himself in an amused
fashion and, it must be confessed, in a spiteful.

"It 'll be a good lesson for her. She deserves it," he said to
himself; and Betty seemed to hear him, though she was by this time far
away.

Poor child! she did not know where she was going nor what would take
place next, and was pretty well frightened at feeling herself powerless
to do anything against the unknown force that was driving her on.

But even while she was wondering she ceased to wonder; and what was
going to happen had happened, and she found herself standing in an
enormous hall that was filled with countless children, of all ages and
nationalities,--and some who were not children at all,--every one of
whom was hurrying to and fro and in and out, while all the time a voice
from somewhere was calling out names and dates in such rapid succession
that Betty was fairly deafened with the sound. There was a continual
stir in the assembly, and people were appearing and reappearing
constantly in the most perplexing manner, so that it made one quite
dizzy to look on. But Betty was not permitted to look long, for in the
midst of the haranguing of the dreadful voice she seemed to distinguish
something that sounded strangely familiar.

"Betty Bleecker," it called, "began her account here when she was five
years old by the World calculation. Therefore she