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AssoonasLizahadrecoveredherselfshestartedexaminingthepeopleonthebrakeandfirstofallshetookstockofthewomanwhomJimBlakestonhadwithhim. 'Thisismymissus!'saidJim,pointingtoherwithhisthumb. 'Youain'tbeendahninthestreetmuch,'aveyer?'saidLiza,bywayofmakingtheacquaintance. 'Na,'answeredMrs.Blakeston,'myyoungster'sbeendahnwiththemeasles,an'I've'admyworkcutoutlookin'after'im.' 'Oh,an'is'eallrightnow?' 'Yus,'e'sgettin'onfine,an'JimwantedtergoterChingfordter-day,an''esaysterme,well,'esays,"YoucomealongterChingford,tooit'lldoyougood."An''esays,"YoucanleavePolly"—she'smyeldest,yerknow—"youcanleavePolly,"says'e,"terlookafterthekids."SoIsays,"Well,Idon'tmindifIdo,"saysI.' MeanwhileLizawaslookingather.Firstshenoticedherdress:sheworeablackcloakandafunny,old-fashionedblackbonnetthenexaminingthewomanherself,shesawamiddle-sized,stoutpersonanywherebetweenthirtyandfortyyearsold.Shehadalarge,fatfacewithabigmouth,andherhairwascuriouslydone,partedinthemiddleandplastereddownoneachsideoftheheadinlittleplaits.Onecouldseethatshewasawomanofgreatstrength,notwithstandingevidenttracesofhardworkandmuchchild-bearing. Lizaknewalltheotherpassengers,andnowthateveryonewassettleddownandhadgotovertheexcitementofdeparture,theyhadtimetogreetoneanother.TheyweredelightedtohaveLizaamongthem,forwhereshewastherewasnodullness.Herattentionwasfirstofalltakenupbyayoungcosterwhohadarrayedhimselfinthetraditionalcostume—greysuit,tighttrousers,andshinybuttonsinprofusion. 'Wotcheer,Bill!'shecriedtohim. 'Wotcheer,Liza!'heanswered. 'Youaregotupdossy,you'llknock'em.' 'Nathen,LizaKemp,'saidhiscompanion,turningroundwithmockindignation,'youletmyJohnnyalone.Ifyoucomegettin'round'imI'llgiveyouwotfor.' 'Arright,ClarySharp,Idon'twant'im,'answeredLiza.'I'vegotoneofmyown,an'thet'sagood'andful—ain'tit,Tom?' Tomwasdelighted,and,unabletofindarepartee,inhispleasuregaveLizaagreatnudgewithhiselbow. ''Oo,Isay,'saidLiza,puttingherhandtoherside.'Tikecareofmyribsyou'llbrike'em.' 'Them'snotyerribs,'shoutedacandidfriend—'them'syerwhale-bonesyerafraidofbreakin'.' 'Garn!' ''Aveyergotwhale-bones?'saidTom,withaffectedsimplicity,puttinghisarmroundherwaisttofeel. 'Na,then,'shesaid,'keepoffthegrass!' 'Well,Ionlywantedterknowifyou'dgotany.' 'Garnyerdon'tgitroundmelikethet.' Hestillkeptashewas. 'Nathen,'sherepeated,'tikeyer'andaway.Ifyertouchmethereyou'll'avetermarryme.' 'Thet'sjustwotIwantsterdo,Liza!' 'Shutit!'sheansweredcruelly,anddrewhisarmawayfromherwaist. Thehorsesscamperedon,andthemanbehindblewhishornwithvigour. 'Don'tbustyerself,guv'nor!'saidoneofthepassengerstohimwhenhemadeaparticularlydiscordantsound.Theydrovealongeastwards,andasthehourgrewlaterthestreetsbecamemorefilledandthetrafficgreater.AtlasttheygotontheroadtoChingford,andcaughtupnumbersofothervehiclesgoinginthesamedirection—donkey-shays,pony-carts,tradesmen'scarts,dog-carts,drags,brakes,everyconceivablekindofwheelthing,allfilledwithpeople,thewretcheddonkeydraggingalongfoursolidrate-payerstothepairofstouthorseseasilymanagingacoupleofscore.Theyexchangedcheersandgreetingsastheypassed,the'RedLion'brakebeingnoticeableaboveallforitsuproariousness.Asthedayworeonthesunbecamehotter,andtheroadseemedmoredustyandthrewupagreaterheat. 'Iamgetting'ot!'wasthecommoncry,andeveryonebegantopuffandsweat. Theladiesremovedtheircloaksandcapes,andthemen,followingtheirexample,tookofftheircoatsandsatintheirshirt-sleeves.Whereuponensuedmuchbanterofanotparticularlyedifyingkindrespectingthegarmentswhicheachpersonwouldliketoremove—whichshowedthattheinnuendoofFrenchfarceisnotsounknowntotheupright,honestEnglishmanasmightbesupposed. Atlastcameinsightthehalf-wayhouse,wherethehorsesweretohavearestandaspongedown.Theyhadbeentalkingofitforthelastquarterofamile,andwhenatlengthitwasobservedonthetopofahillacheerbrokeout,andsomethirstywagbegantosing'RuleBritannia',whilstothersburstforthwithadifferentnationalditty,'Beer,GloriousBeer!'Theydrewupbeforethepubentrance,andallclimbeddownasquicklyastheycould.Thebarwasbesieged,andpotmenandbarmaidswerequicklybusydrawingbeerandhandingitovertotheeagerfolkoutside. THEIDYLLOFCORYDONANDPHYLLIS. Gallantryorde