At times her tramp to London became almost a nightmare. It never seemed to grow nearer. She had had no idea that the distance was so great. She wondered sometimes if she would not give it up. But if she did, what then? The only thing for which she lived would be taken away from her. No one would care if she lay down in the road and died. No one was expecting her or wanted her, except Jem, and he was further away every day. If she was robbed of the thought of Bostock's wild beasts, she would be bereft of the one thing that made life worth living. No! She would not give up hope! She must persevere, and surely a time would come when she would be sitting calm and smiling among the lions, and would go home with seven pounds in her pocket! CHAPTER V A CREATURE OF IMPULSE "THEY are coming," exclaimed Sheila as she glanced quickly over the letter in her hand. The sun was shining into the breakfast room at Friars Court through the open windows. It was a long low room with beams across the ceiling, and panelled walls; and there was no nicer room in the house on a sunny morning. The French windows were wide open and from them could be seen the trees in the Park beyond the garden, and the hills in the background. Sheila stood reading her letter with the morning sun shining on her pretty hair. "Who are coming?" questioned Miss Gregson, as the girl looked up at her with a pleased smile. "My six children. I read in some paper that there were hundreds of poor children in want of a change into the country from the very poorest of poor homes in London, and I wrote at once to enquire about them. The Society is so grateful and is sending down six on Monday. I am to have them for a fortnight. I only hope the weather will last for that time. Just fancy! A house full of children. Won't it be fun?" "What a nice idea," said Miss Gregson. "When did you think of it?" Her mind flew to all the difficulties of the plan, but she was so pleased that Sheila should have thought of putting joy into the heart of six little children that she was determined to say nothing to discourage her. "I only thought of it yesterday, and wired to the Society telling them to write by last night's post. I always believe in acting at once. Don't you?" "I suppose they will send someone with the children to look after them," said Miss Gregson. "No, that will be the fun. I mean to do everything for them myself, bathing them and putting them to bed included. If you do a thing at all I believe in doing it thoroughly. It would quite spoil it if there was a worker sent down with them." Miss Gregson's heart sank. She knew how it would end. Sheila would be tired of them before the first week was out. "Where are you going to put them? Is there not a large empty room which you could fit up with beds?"