Presently the party drew up before a table behind which stood a man selling rat poison. A stick was attached to the table, and to this stick was affixed a board, above the heads of the people, on which was a pictorial representation of rats and mice expiring in attitudes of mortal agony. The man vended also small hones. He took a knife, drew the edge of the blade over his thumb to show that it was blunt, then swept it once, twice, thrice, this way, that way, on the bit of stone, and see! he plucked a hair from his beard, and cut, and the blade severed it. Fourpence for a small stone, six-pence, a shilling, according to sizes. The coins were tossed on the table, and the hones carried away. ’What is it, ma’am.—a hone?’ asked the dealer. ’No, the poison.’ A white arm was thrust between those who lined the table. Hillary turned, and saw Mrs. Veale. ’Keep it locked up, ma’am. There’s enough in that packet to poison a regiment.’ Whether a regiment of soldiers or of rats he did not explain. At the crockery stall Larry halted, and passed Temperance over to Honor. Now his reason for driving in the spring-cart became apparent. He had been commissioned to purchase a supply of pots, and mugs, and dishes, and plates, for home use. Honor also made purchases at this stall, and the young man carried them for her to his cart, as well as his own supply. Then she lingered at a drapery stall, and bought some strong material for frocks for the youngest sisters. Whilst she was thus engaged, Larry went to a stall of sweetstuff, presided over by a man in white apron, with copper scales, and bought some twisted red and white barbers’ poles of peppermint. Immediately the atmosphere about the little party was impregnated with the fragrance of peppermint. A few steps beyond was a menagerie. A painted canvas before the enclosure of vans represented Noah’s ark, with the animals ascending a plank and entering it by a door in the side. In another compartment was a picture of a boa-constrictor catching a negro, and opening his jaws to swallow him. Over this picture was inscribed, ’Twine, gentle evergreen,’ and the serpent was painted emerald. In another compartment, again, was a polar scene, with icebergs and white bears, seals and whales. ’Oh, we must see the wild beasts!’ exclaimed Kate. A consultation ensued. Larry wished to treat the whole party, but to this Honor would not agree. Finally, it was decided that Kate, Joe, and Pattie should enter, and that Honor should remain without with the children. Accordingly the three went in with Larry, and presently returned disappointed and laughing. The menagerie had resolved itself into a few moulting parrots, a torpid snake in a blanket, two unsavoury monkeys, and an ass painted with stripes to pass as a zebra.