Part 6 (1/2)

”To Miss Kerr! Why should you give her your money?”

”Oh, that's a secret of mine. But I don't mind telling you, Mervyn, only you must not tell anyone, will you now? Promise you won't, like a good boy.”

”I promise,” answered Mervyn earnestly; ”I would not tell anyone for the world.”

”Well, one day Miss Kerr lent me three pennies to give to a poor boy, and I said I would pay her back very soon.”

”Then I would not spend the pennies,” said Mervyn decidedly; ”keep them, Bunny, and give them to Miss Kerr when we go home.”

”Oh, no; I would much rather go in the lift,” cried Bunny. ”Miss Kerr won't mind, for she said I need not be in a hurry to pay it.”

”Still I think it would be better,” began Mervyn solemnly, ”to pay Miss--”

”Oh, bother! Never mind thinking, but come along, or we will not have time to go up in the lift before Sophie wants to go home for her dinner.”

”I should like to go up in it very much,” said Mervyn weakly, and casting longing looks at the distant lift, ”but, indeed, Bunny--”

”Oh, you are silly!” cried the little girl. ”Come on quick or we sha'n't have time,” and grasping his hand, she hurried him down the steps, with just one backward glance to make sure that Sophie was still safe upon her bench. The maid's face was turned away towards her friend, who seemed to be telling a very interesting story; they were both completely occupied and quite unaware of what was going on about them.

”We shall have plenty of time!” said Bunny growing bold at the sight of the back of Sophie's head. ”So come along, Mervyn, and see what the lift is like.”

There was a great crowd of ladies and gentlemen walking up and down the promenade, and it took the children a long time to make their way as far as the band-stand, and even then they were at some distance from the wonderful lift that had attracted the little stranger so much.

As they hurried along, pus.h.i.+ng their way right and left through the people, the band began to play the ”Blue Danube Waltzes,” and Mervyn stopped short in delight.

”Oh, what a lovely waltz!” he cried. ”Bunny dear, do let us stay here and listen to it. I'd much rather hear the music than go up in the lift, I would, indeed.”

”Oh! no, no,” cried Bunny, ”I'm tired of that old band, it's a stupid old thing! We can come and listen to it to-morrow if you like; but do come on now, you can't think how nice it is flying up the cliff in the lift; besides, I am quite sure that we sha'n't get a chance to go another day.”

”Oh, very well, if you want to go so much; but really, Bunny, I would far rather stay and hear the music,” said Mervyn, ”I would indeed.”

”Bother the music! Do come, like a good boy,” cried the little girl impatiently, and catching him by the hand she dragged him away through the gate that led to the lift.

There was a great crowd of people of all kinds waiting to go up in the lift, for it was getting near luncheon hour at the hotels, and many were anxious to be in good time for that pleasant meal.

Our little friends, Bunny and Mervyn, were so small that they were a good deal knocked about by the crowd, and the lift went off several times before they managed to push themselves anywhere near the front. At last the conductor noticed the two mites, and stepping forward in a kindly way, he took them by the hand, helped them into the carriage, and seating them side by side, remarked with a smile:

”You're a funny pair to be sure! Where is your nurse?”

”She's on the Spa, at least on a bench just at the top of the steps,” said Bunny gaily as she arranged her short skirts about her on the seat. ”My cousin is a stranger here, so I have brought him to see what the lift is like.”

”Indeed!” said the man with a laugh. ”What a kind little lady you are to be sure;” and then, as the carriage was full, he banged the door and away they went.

”Isn't it nice, Mervyn? Aren't you glad I brought you?” asked Bunny in a patronizing tone. ”It is much nicer in here than sitting up on that bench. Isn't it?”

”Yes, I suppose it is,” answered Mervyn doubtfully, ”but oh, Bunny, I don't much like it! I have a sort of feeling as if I were in a s.h.i.+p, and it makes me giddy to look out--indeed it does.”

”Don't look out then,” said Bunny decisively. ”But really, Mervyn, I think it's lovely--it's so--Oh, dear what is that?” she cried in alarm, as with a harsh grating noise the lift they were in, came to a sudden stand-still, and the descending one shot quickly past them.

”Something gone wrong, I expect,” grumbled an old gentleman beside her; ”ah, they have to let us go down again! What an awful nuisance!”