rged to try their luck
again. Hugh would not: but Holt did once; and Lamb, two or three times.
Then the woman offered them some cakes upon a plate: and the little
boys thanked her, and took each one. Lamb put some in his pocket, and
advised the others to do the same, as they had no time to spare. He
kept some room in his pocket, however, for some plums; and told the boys
that they might carry theirs in their handkerchiefs, or in their caps,
if they would take care to have finished before they came within sight
of the usher. He then asked the woman to let them out upon the heath
through her garden gate; and she said she certainly would when they had
paid. She then stood drumming with her fingers upon the table, and
looking through the window, as if waiting.

"Come, Proctor, you have half-a-crown," said Lamb. "Out with it!"

"My half-crown!" exclaimed Proctor. "You did not say I had anything to
pay."

"As if you did not know that, without my telling you! You don't think
people give away their good things, I suppose! Come,--where's your
half-crown? My money is all at home."

Holt had nothing with him either. Lamb asked the woman what there was
to pay. She seemed to count and consider; and Holt told Hugh afterwards
that he saw Lamb wink at her. She then said that the younger gentlemen
had had the most plums and cakes. The charge was a shilling a piece for
them, and sixpence for Master Lamb:--half-a-crown exactly. Hugh
protested he never meant anything like this, and that he wanted part of
his half-crown to buy a comb with; and he would have emptied out the
cakes and fruit he had left; but the woman stopped him, saying that she
never took back what she had sold. Lamb hurried him, too, declaring
that their time was up; and he even thrust his finger and thumb into
Hugh's inner pocket, and took out the half-crown, which he gave to the
woman. He was sure that Hugh could wait for his comb till Holt paid
him, and the woman said she did not see that any more combing was
wanted: the young gentleman's hair looked so pretty as it was. She then
showed them through the garden, and gave them each a marigold
full-blown. She unlocked her gate, pushed them through, locked it
behind them, and left them to hide their purchases as well as they
could. Though the little boys stuffed their pockets till the ripest
plums burst, and wetted the linings, they could not dispose of them all;
and they were obliged to give away a g