A JOURNEY AND ITS ENDING, 167

said the porter, rather afraid of getting him-

self into a scrape if he fetched the children a
fly without proper authority, and feeling uncer-
tain, from their very plain and rather “ countri-
fied”’ appearance, if their friends belonged to
the fly patronizing class or not. “I'll keep the
luggage safe till it’s sent for—no fear,’ and
with a friendly nod he marched off with their
possessions.

Holding Carrots by the hand, Floss made her
way out of the station. For about a quarter of
a mile the road ran straight before them, and
they trudged along contentedly enough. But
after a while they came to a point where two
roads met, one leading to the little watering-
place (for the station was some way from the
town), the other out into the country. And for
the first time it struck Floss that she did not
know the way. She looked about her in per-
plexity.

“Tt cannot be far,” she said ; “ mamma always
said auntie lived zear Whitefriars. But I wish
I knew which way to go.”