"Well, this is as handsome as a hundred angels, less than a foot tall, all in new clothes, with little hats on." "Sally, I think I know now. Only it couldn't be that. There couldn't likely be a hundred of them all together, for, oh, Sally, it isn't a store we are going to! You didn't tell me it was a store." "No more it is. We're going straight to Mrs. Darling's house, and no place but there. Here's where we get off." The big girl, with the small one, alighted and turned into the quieter streets, Tibbie, as before, almost running to keep up with her long-legged friend. They went into Mrs. Darling's by the back door. In the kitchen stood Miss Catherine in a coat with jet spangles and a hat with nodding plumes, pulling on a pair of tight kid gloves. Tibbie at sight of her hung back, murmuring to Sally, "You didn't tell me! You didn't tell me!" "Now, you'll be sure she don't touch anything, Sally," said Miss Catherine, looking Tibbie over. "Naw! She won't hurt anything. I've told her I'll skin her if she does." "Are her hands clean? You'd better give them a wash, anyhow." Tibbie dropped her eyes, a little mortified. "All right! I'll wash 'em," said Sally. "She'd better scrape her boots thoroughly on the mat, too, before going up." "I'll look after all that, Miss Catherine. Just you go long with an easy mind." "Well, I'm off. I won't be long. Why don't you give her a piece of that cake? It's cut. But make her eat it down here. Good-night, little girl. I guess you never was in a house like this before. Good-night, Sal. Is my hat on straight?" She was gone, and the whole house now belonged to Sally and Tibbie. They looked at each other in silence a moment; the glee they felt came shining to the surface of their faces and made them grin broadly at each other. "She's particular, ain't she?" said Sally. "I just as soon wash them again, but they're clean. I thought you said she was gone off to a party and going to be gone till real late." "Law!" roared Sally, and plumped down to contort herself in comfort. "She thought it was Mrs. Darling herself! Law! law!" Tibbie laughed, too, but not so heartily, and the great time began. Sally went for the cake-box, and Tibbie made a thoughtful selection; and "Who'll ever find a few crumbs?" said Sally. "Come along!" The great child and the little, full of a sense of play, went up the stairs hand in hand. Tibbie could scarcely take account of what was happening to her, such was the pure delight of the adventure. "This is the dining-room; this is the sitting-room; this is the receiving-room; this, now prepare--this is Mrs. Darling's own room!" Up went the light; the rose-paper walls, the rose-chintz dumpy chairs, the silver-laden dressing-table, the pink and white draped bed, leaped into sight. Tibbie stood still, open-lipped. "Ain't it handsome?" asked Sally, with the pride of indirectly belonging to such things. "Come along, I'm going to wash your hands in Mrs. Darling's basin."