ds and
birds' eggs, and Robin brought innumerable contributions in the shape
of torn picture-books and old toys that the others had discarded long
ago. None of them ever forgot that last week in their London home; for
besides the exquisite joys of packing up, there were also delightful
expeditions up to town with Auntie Anna, ostensibly to buy clothes, but in
reality to afford amusement to an old lady who had never enjoyed her
life so much before; and whether they went alone with her, or in such
numbers that the brougham was as full as it could be, the afternoon
always ended with a magnificent tea without limitations--'Even ices to
finish up with, and no one saying nothink about your makin' yourself ill
'cause you mixed things!' as Robin proclaimed on his return home from one
of these expeditions.

Then there was the buying of the six bicycles; and even Barbara forgot
for the moment all about school and everything else for the sake of her
new two-wheeled possession, soon to be invested in her mind with magic
properties and converted into a fairy messenger in her fairy kingdom.
She was less patient over the purchase of her school outfit, which kept
her standing at the dressmaker's for whole half-hours together, when
she might have been trying her bicycle round the square; and she wondered
why it was necessary to have such quantities of clothes, just because
she was going to live at school instead of at home. Surely, if her
present wardrobe was good enough to pass the critical examination of
five brothers, it need not be improved to meet the friendly gaze of a
parcel of girls! However, Auntie Anna insisted on more clothes; and
Auntie Anna was a witch, so she ought to know. And since she did not take
the dressmaker's part, but even allowed Barbara to have her own way as
to the shortness of her skirts, with an added inch or so to satisfy the
scruples of the dressmaker, it was impossible to grumble very much at the
precious time that was being wasted.

So the week drew swiftly to a close, and the day of departure came at last.

CHAPTER III

BARBARA'S DREAM

Once more, Kit stood with his back to the fireplace, and prepared to
address the family. It was just half an hour after Mr. Berkeley had left,
and they were all assembled rather sorrowfully in the old schoolroom. In
another ten minutes their own cabs would be at the door, and they too
would be on their way to a new life. Altogether, it was a solemn moment,
a