given to her, she
lost her way.

At last she found the place for which she was looking. This must be it!
Inside the field there was an old omnibus without wheels, and a railway
car, also without wheels, was on the ground. In addition, she saw a
dozen little round pups rolling about. Yes, this was the place!

Leaving Palikare in the street, she went into the field. The pups at
once scrambled at her feet, barked, and snapped at her shoes.

"Who's there?" called a voice.

She looked around and saw a long, low building, which might have been a
house, but which might serve for anything else. The walls were made of
bits of stone, wood and plaster. Even tin boxes were used in its
construction. The roof was made of tarred canvas and cardboard, and most
of the window panes were of paper, although in one or two instances
there was some glass. The man who designed it was another Robinson
Crusoe, and his workman a man Friday.

A one-armed man with a shaggy beard was sorting out rags and throwing
them into the baskets around him.

"Don't step on my dogs," he cried; "come nearer."

She did as she was told.

"Are you the owner of the Guillot Field?" she asked.

"That's me!" replied the man.

In a few words she told him what she wanted. So as not to waste his time
while listening, he poured some red wine out of a bottle that stood on
the ground and drank it down at a gulp.

"It can be arranged if you pay in advance," he said, sizing her up.

"How much?" she asked.

"Forty sous a week for the wagon and twenty for the donkey," he
replied.

"That's a lot of money," she said, hesitatingly.

"That's my price."

"Your summer price?"

"Yes, my summer price."

"Can my donkey eat the thistles?"

"Yes, and the grass also if his teeth are strong enough."

"We can't pay for the whole week because we are only going to stay one
day. We are going through Paris on our way to Amiens, and we want to
rest."

"Well, that's all right; six sous a day for the cart and three for the
donkey."

One by one she pulled out nine sous from the pocket in her skirt.

"That's for the first day," she said, handing them to the man.

"You can tell your people they can all come in," he said, "How many are
there? If it's a whole company it's two sous extra for each person."

"I have only my mother."

"All right; but why didn't your mother come and settle this?"

"She is in the wagon, ill."

"Ill! Well, this isn't a hospital."

Perrine