Philip and Barbara looked at each other and smiled. All the sights which were so familiar to them, seemed very novel to their American visitors. "I suppose it would be just the same to us, if we were to visit New York," said Barbara. "Those bus-horses, which you admire, do look very fine at first, but the work is so hard on them, that they only last a very short time. Their days are about over now, for soon we shall have only the motor-buses." [Illustration: "OH, WHAT'S THIS PLACE? I AM SURE I HAVE SEEN PICTURES OF IT!"--_Page 12_.] "Oh, what's this place?" cried John excitedly. "I am sure I have seen pictures of it! Why, Philip, I think you once sent me some post-cards which showed this!" "Oh, yes, this is Trafalgar Square," broke in Mrs. Pitt. "People sometimes call it the center of all London. Here is the celebrated statue of Lord Nelson--here, in the middle; see all the flower-girls, with their baskets, around its foot. That large building, with the pillars, is the National Gallery, where I may take you to see the pictures. The church near it they call St. Martin's-in-the-Fields. Yes, it doesn't seem a very appropriate name now, but once it really was 'in the fields,' it has stood here so long. Do you notice all the streets leading out from this great square? That way is the direction of the Strand and Fleet Street; Westminster Abbey is not far away; and you can see the towers of the Houses of Parliament--just there. You will soon grow more familiar with all this. Now, we must go this way, and before long, we shall be at home. I think you'll be glad to rest after your tiresome journey. This is Regent Street, where many of the shops are. Aren't they attractive?" "Yes," said John, "but how very low the buildings are! As far as I can see they are all of the same height. They are almost all yellow, too, and with the bright buses the scene is very gay." They rode along for some time, the silence being often broken by exclamations and questions. John and Betty could not understand how people avoided being run over when they all dashed across the street, right under the very noses of the horses. It was amusing to see people stumbling up the narrow, winding stairs of the buses, as they jolted along, and even the signs over the shops attracted some attention. They wondered if the King and Queen could shop in them all, for so many bore the words, "Jewelers to T. R. M.," or "Stationers to Their Royal Majesties." London seemed very large to them on this first drive--very strange and foreign, and they were glad when the cab drew up before a big house in a spacious square, and the rest cried, "Here we are at home!" CHAPTER TWO THE FIRST EVENING