The young ladies, almost before nurse was gone, began to run along the rows of chairs, falling down once in twelve, and rapidly toning down the pretty pink of their frocks to a sombre brick hue.

I was thankful when the crowd began to drop in, and I was able, by threats of taking them home before the races began, to reduce them at least to the nine seats for which I was responsible.

How I wished I had some sweets, in order to reduce them to only three! By good luck Dicky Brown hove in sight just as I was giving way to despair.
"Dicky, old chap," said I, "if you love me, get sixpennyworth of bulls'- eyes or something.

I'd be grateful to you as long as I live." Dicky looked at me anxiously--evidently concerned for my health.

But a jerk of my head in the direction of the two little vixens, who were just then trying to pull a solemn-looking day boy off one of the chairs by main force, satisfied him that the case was an urgent one, and, like a brick, he flew off to the rescue.
The solemn day boy stood his persecution as long as he could, and then rounded sharply on his persecutors.
"Bother you, go away!" he growled.
Whereupon in floods of tears, the Misses Redwood made for me, and insisted on being taken up one on each knee and "cosseted" because of what the big ugly boy had done.
I complied with the energy of despair, conscious that in so doing I was allowing the reserved seats one by one to be usurped, and was at the same time rendering myself a spectacle of contempt to at least eight young persons, whom, in the gap left between the two wet faces which clung to my either cheek, I could see advancing in a body, clad in running drawers and blazers, in our direction.
It was vain for me to try to escape from my false position.