A London Picnic 7
times. All those drawings, for instance,
are done from his descriptions of the
city.”

“ And his wings?” asked Doris.

“The new feathers are coming at last,
but the bird is almost afraid to go back,
having been so long away. However, he
wants me to get to the city, and so he will
probably be braver when the time comes
to start. Would you care to come with us
—with me and the Visitor? There’s room
for us all on the bird’s back, for I shall
have no luggage beyond a sketch-book and
some pencils.”

Doris hesitated. ‘I should like to see
the city,” she said, at last. ‘“ But I don’t
think I can come. There’s my garden down
by the sea, and all the things in it that
belong to me: for a long time—since my
eyes were bad—I have not seen them. And
there’s the quarry where the blackberries
grow, and the little island in the water. No,
I don’t think I can come with you.”

The Artist looked disappointed, but the