the crowd.

All the people were leaving their seats now, and our party got up too.

"Open your bag, Kate, I should like a bun now," said Marion, and she
took one herself and handed some to the rest of the party, who were
pushing and elbowing their way through the crowd.

"What a dreadful crush there is," said Marion. "Kate, you haven't
brought another purse to lose, have you?" she whispered.

Kate shook her head, for she was eating now from the bag as she carried
it open in her hand. The next minute some one cried out, "I have been
robbed--my watch has gone!" and the crowd surged back, and Kate was
almost pushed off her feet.

There were cries of "Police! police! stop thief! stop thief!" and
during the confusion that ensued Kate and Marion, who managed to keep
together, were pushed into a corner and separated, from all their
friends.

"Shut up your bag, Kate, or it may be snatched out of your hand, gaping
open like that," said Marion.

"Oh! what is it, when shall we get out?" exclaimed Kate, turning very
pale.

"There, don't be frightened," said Marion. "The crowd will move on
directly, and the others will wait for us outside. It's nothing but a
few pickpockets, you need not look so frightened."

"Oh, I wish we hadn't come!" said Kate, fairly trembling with undefined
terror. She shut her bag, for neither she nor Marion could eat
anything now, and even Marion began to get frightened at last, for only
murmured words among the crowd could tell them what was going on, but
there was a bustle and expectancy and a swaying to and fro of the
multitude that convinced Marion something unusual must be taking place,
for they did not move a step forward for all the pushing and squeezing.

"Oh, dear! how late we shall be," said Kate, after a few minutes'
waiting. "Can't we get out, Marion?"

"No, that we can't until the crowd moves. There, don't be frightened;
Mrs. Maple won't expect us yet," said Marion.

It was some time before there was any perceptible movement in the
crowd, but at last the two girls were released from their corner, and
pushed their way on with the rest.

Once outside, they began to look about for their former companions, but
could see nothing of them. The crowd had almost dispersed now, for
they were nearly the last to leave the theatre, and so there was no
difficulty in looking round, but neither William nor his grand friends
could be seen.

"Well, that is mean of him to walk off and lea