t or something.'

So we had old newspapers rolled up, and carried them in our hands. We
took the Globe and the Westminster Gazette because they are pink and
green. The Dentist wore his white sandshoes, sandalled with black tape,
and bare legs. They really looked almost as good as bare feet.

'We OUGHT to have peas in our shoes,' he said. But we did not think so.
We knew what a very little stone in your boot will do, let alone peas.

Of course we knew the way to go to Canterbury, because the old Pilgrims'
Road runs just above our house. It is a very pretty road, narrow, and
often shady. It is nice for walking, but carts do not like it because it
is rough and rutty; so there is grass growing in patches on it.

I have said that it was a fine day, which means that it was not raining,
but the sun did not shine all the time.

''Tis well, O Knight,' said Alice, 'that the orb of day shines not in
undi--what's-its-name?--splendour.'

'Thou sayest sooth, Plain Pilgrim,' replied Oswald. ''Tis jolly warm
even as it is.'

'I wish I wasn't two people,' Noel said, 'it seems to make me hotter. I
think I'll be a Reeve or something.'

But we would not let him, and we explained that if he hadn't been so
beastly particular Alice would have been half of him, and he had only
himself to thank if being all of a Nun-Priest made him hot.

But it WAS warm certainly, and it was some time since we'd gone so far
in boots. Yet when H. O. complained we did our duty as pilgrims and
made him shut up. He did as soon as Alice said that about whining and
grizzling being below the dignity of a Manciple.

It was so warm that the Prioress and the wife of Bath gave up walking
with their arms round each other in their usual silly way (Albert's
uncle calls it Laura Matildaing), and the Doctor and Mr Bath had to take
their jackets off and carry them.

I am sure if an artist or a photographer, or any person who liked
pilgrims, had seen us he would have been very pleased. The paper
cockle-shells were first-rate, but it was awkward having them on the top
of the staffs, because they got in your way when you wanted the staff to
use as a walking-stick.

We stepped out like a man all of us, and kept it up as well as we could
in book-talk, and at first all was merry as a dinner-bell; but presently
Oswald, who was the 'very perfect gentle knight', could not help
noticing that one of us was growing very silent and rather pale, like
people are when they have