ith pink, joined Margaret Lindsay at the railway
station. They were to catch the early express, and Mother, Rosemary, and
Monica came to see them off. It felt so grand to be going away without
the rest of the family, and to hang out of the carriage window shouting
good-bye while they frantically waved handkerchiefs upon the platform.
Lorraine, still clutching in her new gloves the sticky packet of sweets
that Monica had pressed as a last offering into her hand, went on
signalling until Margaret pulled her forcibly back on to her seat.

"We don't want your head whisked off first thing, please, and we're
coming to the bridge. I wouldn't sit on the lunch-basket, if I were you!
Let me put it up on the rack."

"I'm _so_ excited!" sighed Lorraine. "I'm glad we've got the carriage
to ourselves, Carina, because we can talk. Isn't it sport?"

"We shan't keep it long. It will probably fill up at St. Cyr, so work
off your spirits now, if you want to. But my advice is to take things
calmly, or you'll be tired out before we get to town."

The long railway journey, first along the coast, and then inland through
scenery which was very different from Porthkeverne, was deeply
interesting to Lorraine; and if she grew tired and closed her eyes for
part of the route, her enthusiasm woke again when they reached London.
The great station with its crowds of people, the rows of cabs and taxis,
the streets with their endless traffic, all seemed a new world to the
little country mouse who was making her first acquaintance with the
metropolis.

"It's busier than I expected, and ever so much dirtier!" she commented.

"Yes, it's a different world from Porthkeverne--no arum lilies and
yuccas and aloes--only plane-trees and lilac-bushes in the squares. Here
we are at our hotel! It will be nice to wash and rest!"

Lorraine, with a beaming face, sat next morning at the little table
laid for two, and discussed plans over the breakfast bacon. She had
drawn up a programme of things she wanted to see in town, of so lengthy
a description that Margaret Lindsay declared it would take at least a
month instead of a week to work through it adequately.

"Some of the shows are shut up because of the war," she said, going
through the list and putting ticks against the most suitable places. "We
can see the Zoo, and Madame Tussaud's, and Kew Gardens, and I'll enquire
whether the Tower and the Houses of Parliament are open to visitors at
present. Westminster A