Page:Burnett - Two Little Pilgrims' Progress A Story of the City Beautiful.djvu/167

Rh She answered it with a little nod, and then put her hand on Ben's arm again. During their rapid interchange of words, he had been gazing at them in a dazed, uncomprehending way. To his poor little starved nature they seemed so strong and different from himself, that there was something wonderful about them. Meg's glowing face quite made his weak heart beat as she turned it upon him.

"We are not much better off than you are," she said; "but we think we've got enough to take you into the grounds. You let us have your bed. Come along with us."

"To—to—the Fair?" he said tremulously.

"Yes," she answered. "And when we get in I'll try and think up things to tell you and Robin about the places we can't afford to go into. We can go into the palaces for nothing."

"Palaces!" he gasped, his wide eyes on her face.

She laughed.

"That's what we call them," she said. "That's what they are. It's part of a story. I'll tell it to you as we go."

"Oh!" he breathed out with a sort of gasp again.

He evidently did not know how to express himself; his hands trembled, and he looked half frightened.

"If you'll do it," he said, "I'll remember you all