“Hey!” cried the lady of the caravan, “Yes, to be sure—­Who won the Helter-Skelter Plate?”

“Won what, ma’am?” asked Nell.

“The Helter-Skelter Plate at the races, child.  Can’t you say who won the Helter-Skelter Plate when you’re asked a question civilly?”

“I don’t know, ma’am.”

“Don’t know!” repeated the lady of the caravan; “Why, you were there.  I saw you with my own eyes.”

Nell was not a little alarmed to hear this, supposing that the lady might be intimately acquainted with the firm of Short and Codlin; but what followed tended to reassure her.

“And very sorry I was,” said the lady of the caravan, “to see you in company with a Punch—­a low practical, wulgar wretch, that people should scorn to look at.”

“I was not there by choice,” rejoined the child; “we didn’t know our way, and the two men were very kind to us, and let us travel with them.  Do you—­do you know them, ma’am?”

“Know ’em, child!” cried the lady of the caravan in a sort of shriek.  “Know them!  But you’re young and inexperienced, and that’s your excuse for asking sich a question.  Do I look as if I know’d them?  Does this caravan look as if it know’d ’em?”

“No, ma’am, no,” said the child, fearing that she had committed some grievous fault, “I beg your pardon.”

It was granted immediately, and the child then explained that they had left the races on the first day, and were travelling to the next town, and ventured to inquire how far it was.  The stout lady’s reply was rather discouraging, and Nell could scarcely repress a tear at hearing that it was eight miles off.  Her grandfather made no complaint, and the two were about to pass on, when the lady of the caravan called to the child to return.  Beckoning to her to ascend the steps, she asked,—­“Are you hungry?”

“Not very, but we are tired, and it’s—­it is a long way.”

“Well, hungry or not, you had better have some tea,” rejoined her new acquaintance.  “I suppose you’re agreeable to that, old gentleman?”

The grandfather humbly pulled off his hat, and thanked her, and sitting down, they made a hearty meal, enjoying it to the utmost.

While they were thus engaged, the lady of the caravan held a short conversation with her driver, after which she informed Nell that she and her grandfather were to go forward in the caravan with her, for which kindness Nell thanked the lady with unaffected earnestness.  She helped with great alacrity to put away the tea-things, and mounted into the vehicle, followed by her delighted grandfather.  Their patroness then shut the door, and away they went, with a great noise of flapping, and creaking, and straining, and the bright brass knocker, knocking one perpetual double knock of its own accord as they jolted heavily along.