id Belle, "and have tea in the
ruins, and afterwards we can play games or ramble about in the woods.
There'll be twelve grown-up people and twenty children. We didn't invite
the Wrights' baby, because mother said it was too young, and she really
couldn't stand it. She's asked all the Rokebys, even Cecil, though he
_is_ rather a handful sometimes; but Mr. Rokeby's coming, I expect, and
he'll keep him in order. The Wrights are bringing an aunt who's just
arrived back from a visit to Paris. I'm afraid we shall scarcely get
them to talk English. And Mrs. Barrington hasn't decided yet whether
she'll let Ruth and Edna go--she says it depends upon how they do their
health exercises; but they're going to try and get their father to
persuade her. Well, I mustn't stay now if your head aches, but I'm very
glad you can come; I think we shall have a glorious time, and I _do_
hope Saturday will be fine."

Not one of the numerous members of the Sea Urchins' Club could have been
more anxious for a brilliant day than Isobel. She tapped the glass in
the hall with much solicitude, and even paid a visit to her friend the
coastguard to inquire his opinion as to the state of the weather; and
having carefully examined a threatening bank of clouds through his
telescope, and ascertained that the objectionable little sailor was
peeping from his barometer, she came home in rather low spirits, in
spite of his assurances that "if it did splash a bit, it wouldn't be
nowt." Luckily her fears proved groundless. Saturday turned out
everything that could be desired in the way of sun and breeze, and two
o'clock found a very excited group of children gathered outside Marine
Terrace, where two yellow coaches, hired specially from Ferndale for the
occasion, were in waiting to drive the party to the Tower.

Barton, Mrs. Stuart's maid, was busy packing the insides with baskets of
tea-cups and hampers of provisions, and some of the smaller boys had
already climbed to the top with a view of securing the box-seats, whence
they were speedily evicted by the younger guard, who had his own notions
about reserving the best places, and who, having already had a scuffle
with Arnold Rokeby on the subject of the unauthorized blowing of his
horn, was disposed to resent undue interference with his privileges.
There were quite enough older people to keep the children in order,
which seemed a fortunate thing, to judge from the effervescing nature of
their spirits. Mrs. Stua