When they alighted the cabman was told to wait. Molly and her brothers passed through the imposing gateway of Somerset House, and were starting to cross the quadrangle, when they saw the Beadle in his fine uniform (whom they took to be the Duke), and learned from him where they could find the room of which they were in search. "Births, please," said Alec, bold as brass, to the gentleman behind the counter. He was leader and spokesman whenever they went shopping, and he was leader and spokesman to-day. Frank never interfered. And Molly had gone stonily shy. "Births, please," repeated Alec, impatient at being stared at. "What name?" said the gentleman, looking at them amused. "Thompson," replied Alec. "Any particular Thompson? You see, we may have several Thompsons in our entries--five or six at least." "This is Mr. Guy Thompson," said Alec, showing the marked paragraph. "Very well," said the gentleman (who, thought Alec, must be the Duke's butler). "But have you got the fee?-the half-crown you must pay for the search?" "A half-crown's very dear," said Alec. "Can't you do it for less?" The gentleman looked at them with kindly eyes. "I dare say I can," he replied, putting his hand in his pocket, and rattling some coins. "But I'm afraid you'll have to pay a shilling. The King wants one." They paid their shilling for the King; watched while the gentleman looked up his records, and followed him into the corridor as he prosecuted his search. At last he said-- "Quite right. Born on the fifth of November: year's all right. It's all in order." "Then Father _is_ twenty-one?" queried both boys doubtfully. Molly hopped on one foot in suppressed excitement. "_Your father!_" exclaimed the kindly clerk, handing back the coin. "Why, how old are you?" "Ten," replied Alec. "Thank you." "And so your father married at the age of ten or thereabouts, did he? Dear me; very precocious of him!" exclaimed the clerk, with such a serious face that the children felt quite uncomfortable. They had not considered the matter in that light at all. Their faces fell, and they felt such a wish they had never come that without a word of explanation they turned and fled. They were glad to be once more outside the building, and thankful to find the cabman still there waiting to take them back, and in their discomfiture he was hailed by them joyfully as a dear old friend. "Home!" said Alec, when they were inside. "And where might that happen to be?" asked the driver with interest. Molly, womanlike, jumped at a conclusion. "We're lost!" she wailed, and burst into tears, and it was only when she was in sight of her own nursery windows that she was comforted, and smiled once more. Without any inquiry, all their remaining savings were emptied into the willing palm of the delighted driver, who bowed his acknowledgments repeatedly. The children ran through the garden entrance unobserved, and had just got their outdoor things off when the tea-bell rang. NIGHT