Page:Burnett - Two Little Pilgrims' Progress A Story of the City Beautiful.djvu/202

182 don't know whether we could do it, but you could tell us. Do you think—this is such a big place and there are so many corners we could creep into, and it's such a fine night—do you think we could wait until all the people are gone, and then find a place to sleep without going out of the grounds. It would save us buying the tickets in the morning, and Ben could stay with us. I told his mother that perhaps he might not come home—and he could have another day."

John Holt laughed his short laugh.

"Were you thinking of doing that?" he said; "well, you have plenty of sand, anyway."

"Do you think we could do it?" asked Meg. "Would they find us and drive us out? "

John Holt laughed again.

"Great Caesar!" he said. "No, I don't think they'd find you two. Luck would be with you. But I know a plan worth two of that. I'm going to take you all three to my hotel."

"A hotel?" said Meg.

Ben lifted his sleepy head from his shoulder.

"Yes," said John Holt. "I can make them find corners for you, though they're pretty crowded. I'm not going to lose sight of you. This has begun to be my tea-party."

Meg looked at him with large and solemn eyes.