"I haven't the faintest notion, aunt. Would you propose to go in a van to all these places?" I motioned towards the sheet of paper. She nodded. "I have never, you understand, done this sort of thing in a van, but I imagine that the kind of vehicle you suggest, with one pair of horses, to do the entire round would take about three weeks." "Three weeks? Thomas!" "I don't pretend to literal accuracy, but I don't believe that I'm far wrong. No means of locomotion with which I am acquainted will enable you to do it in a day, of that I'm certain. I've been in London since my childhood, but I've never yet had time to see one-half the things you've got down upon this sheet of paper." "Is it possible?" "It's not only possible, it's fact. You country folk have no notion of London's vastness." "Stupendous!" "It is stupendous. Now, when would you like to reach the Crystal Palace?" "Well, not later than four. By then we shall be hungry." I surveyed the nine. "It strikes me that some of you look hungry now. Aren't you hungry?" I spoke to Sammy. His face was eloquent. "I be famished." I do not attempt to reproduce the dialect: I am no dialectician. I merely reproduce the sense; that is enough for me. The lady whom my aunt had spoken of as "Mrs. Penna, sixty-seven, and a little lame," agreed with Sammy. "So be I. I be fit to drop, I be." On this subject there was a general consensus of opinion--they all seemed fit to drop. I was not surprised. My aunt was surprised instead. "You each of you had a treacle pasty in the train!" "What be a treacle pasty?" I was disposed to echo Mrs. Penna's query, "What be a treacle pasty?" My aunt struck me as really cutting the thing a little too fine. "You finish your pasties now--when we get to the Palace I'll see that you have something to take their place. That shall be my part of the treat." My aunt's manner was distinctly severe, especially considering that it was a party of pleasure. "Before we started it was arranged exactly what provisions would have to be sufficient. I do not wish to encroach upon your generosity, Thomas--nothing of the kind." "Never mind, aunt, that'll be all right. You tuck into your pasties." They tucked into their pasties with a will. Aunt had some breakfast with me--poor soul! she stood in need of it--and we discussed the arrangements for the day. "Of course, my dear aunt, this programme of yours is out of the question, altogether. We'll just do a round on a 'bus, and then it'll be time to start for the Palace." "But, Thomas, they will be so disappointed--and, considering how much it will cost me, we shall seem to be getting so little for the money." "My dear aunt, you will have had enough by the time you get back, I promise you." My promise was more than fulfilled--they had had good measure, pressed down and running over.