Poppy put on her scarlet cloak, and the three children started in
fine spirits. It was such a bright, sunny day, and everything looked
cheerful and happy. There had been a hard frost the night before, and
the road was firm and dry under their feet, and the three children ran
along merrily. They went a long way outside the walls till they came to
a river, by the side of which was a small footpath following the river
in all its windings, and leading across grassy fields, which in summer
time were filled with wild flowers, and which were now covered with pure
white snow.

Oh, how much Poppy enjoyed that walk! She had been so long shut up in
that tiny house, she had so long been imprisoned like a wild bird in a
small cage, that now, when she found herself free to run where she liked
in the clear, frosty air, she felt full of life and spirits.

She had forgotten for a time the sorrow of the night before. All was so
bright and beautiful around her, there was nothing to remind her of
sickness or of death. She was very happy, and skipped along like a
little wild goat.

They walked more slowly when they got into the city again, for they were
tired with their long walk, and as they passed the great cathedral Jack
proposed that they should go inside and rest for a little time on the
chairs in the nave.

'There's lots of time yet, Poppy,' he said; 'it isn't tea-time, I'm
sure.'

It was getting dark for all that, and the lamps were lighted in the
cathedral. Jack took off his hat as he pushed open the heavy oaken door,
and the little girls followed him. Service was going on in the choir,
and they could hear the solemn tones of the organ pealing through the
building, and with them came the sweet sound of many voices singing.

'Isn't it beautiful?' said Poppy; 'let us sit down and listen.'

They were very quiet until the service was over, and when the last Amen
was sung, and the doors of the choir were thrown open for the people to
leave, they got up to go home.

But as they were walking across the cathedral to the door which stood
nearest the direction of their home, Jack suddenly stopped.

'Hullo, Poppy,' he whispered, 'look here,' and he pointed to a little
door in the wall which stood ajar.

'What is it, Jack?' said both little girls at once; 'where does it go
to? Is it a tomb?'

'Oh, no,' said Jack; 'it's the way folks go up to the top of the tower;
you know we often see them walking about on the top; my father went u