less tightly.

Mary wondered whether it was the same road that Evangeline had brought
her along the day she arrived, but she did not think it could be the
same, for, to-day, she had not passed the shops and small houses. At all
events, whether it was the same road or not she thought she could see
the small railway station only a little way off, and now Mary grew more
afraid than ever, for if she was once inside the station she might be
put into a train and taken back to London after all! She was just
wondering whether it would not be possible to give the Magic Counter to
the man who drove the train and tell him to take her back to Sister
Agatha, when she uttered a cry of surprise, for she saw a tall young man
coming towards them and she recognised him at once.

'It's the prince!' she exclaimed, 'it's the prince!'

Now Mary had never felt very, very fond of the prince, because he was
going to take Evangeline away from her. Of course she admired him, for
he was a very handsome prince, but Mary had never spoken to him although
she had often seen him in the garden. She felt greatly delighted to see
him now, however, and she held her Magic Counter so that she could take
it out of her pocket directly he came near. Still it is not very nice to
have to speak to a person you have never spoken to before, and Mary felt
a little shy about it.

'It's the prince, is it?' said Mrs. Coppert laughing; 'as if princes
went walking about in that way.'

'I know he is a prince,' answered Mary, 'because Sister Agatha says so.'

'Oh, so he's a friend of hers, is he?' asked Mrs. Coppert; and Mary
thought she looked rather anxious. 'I suppose now he doesn't happen to
know you?'

'No,' answered Mary; 'but that doesn't matter,' she added.

'Well,' said Mrs. Coppert, 'just you listen to me. What you've got to do
is to walk nicely by my side as if you were coming willingly--none of
your crying or hanging back, or it'll be the worse for you.'

She released Mary's arm now, and for a few yards the child walked
quietly by her side, but as soon as the prince drew nearer, Mary ran
away from Mrs. Coppert and stopped right in front of him, looking up
anxiously into his face and holding the Magic Counter out for him to
take.

'Hullo!' he cried, looking a little amused, 'what's that for?'

'Take it, please,' said Mary, pressing it against his hand. 'Please take
it,' she said. 'I do want you to take it quickly,' and she glanced over
her shoulder