Mrs. Byron promised, and accordingly the next morning George felt himself being shaken by the shoulder, while from the midst of a dream he heard his mother say,-- "Wake up, wake up! This is the third time that I have called you, and Mary is already here." Up sprang George, all drowsiness put to flight. When he had dressed himself and finished his bowl of oatmeal, he joined Mary in the drawing-room with a tin box of sandwiches, and an apple in each pocket. The visitor bore a small basket containing her contributions to the luncheon; and as she slipped off the sofa at George's entrance her pinafore and little sunbonnet rustled loudly in their starchy crispness. Down the stairs hurried the pair, bent upon calling for Aladdin, the third member of their company. As they reached the street, George was accosted by Bobby Black, who, with a group of neighboring boys, was emerging from his gate opposite. "Come on, Byron, we're going to watch the cricket game in Murdoch's field!" George shook his head decisively. "I'm going somewhere else." "Ha, ha! Ho, ho!" jeered the boys in chorus, and Bobby called out in a teasing tone,-- "Oh, you'd rather go with Mary Duff than with us. You're Mary Duff's beau! Ha, ha! You're Mary Duff's beau!" The little girl crimsoned with annoyance at Bobby's silly taunt, but George retorted quickly,-- "Well, _you_ can't be Mary Duff's beau until you learn to wash your hands." The laugh turned on Bobby, and George and Mary set off in quest of comrade number three. As they approached a square stone building, a man standing before its open door disappeared within, only to return immediately, leading Aladdin, the most captivating of Shetland ponies. This animal was George's one important possession, but instead of a plaything, it had been purchased for the boy's convenience in getting about. George's poor feet made walks of any great length painful undertakings, but sitting on Aladdin's back, he could go as far and as swiftly as he desired. The pony was black and satiny for the most part, but upon his forehead a small white patch was to be seen, and his mane and tail were snowy. He was so fond of his master that he would follow him about like a kitten; and he always whinnied joyfully whenever the boy appeared at the stable door. George tied his box and Mary's basket to the small red saddle, and turned to his companion. "We'll ride and tie, of course. You mount first, and leave him at Baillie's stile." Stooping, as he had read that the great lairds did, he allowed Mary to place her chubby foot in his clasped hands. Then, with her agile spring, he landed her securely on Aladdin's back. She gathered up the reins and trotted away, while George took up his walking stick and limped slowly after her.