Mr. and Mrs. Farrington had begun their search for a furnished house which they might rent for the winter.  When they went to look at various ones suggested to them by their agent, they did not take the girls with them, as Mrs. Farrington said it was too serious a matter in which to include two chattering children.

So Patty and Elise were left pretty much to their own devices while the elder Farringtons went on these important errands.

But one bright morning when Mr. and Mrs. Farrington were preparing to start off in the automobile for the day, Elise begged that she and Patty might be allowed to go off on an excursion of some sort.

“Indeed, I think you ought,” said Mr. Farrington kindly, “and I’ll tell you what I think would be a first-rate plan.  How would you like to go with Lisette to the Chateau of Chantilly for a day’s outing?  You could go on one of those ‘personally conducted tours,’ in a big motor van, with lots of other tourists.”

“I think it will be lots of fun,” cried Elise; “I’ve always wanted to climb up on one of those moving mountains and go wabbling away.”

“I, too,” said Patty; “just for once I think that sort of thing would be great fun.”

“Then you must hustle to get ready,” said Mr. Farrington, “for the cavalcade sets off at ten o’clock, and I don’t believe they’d wait, even for two nice little girls like you.  So run along and get your bonnets, and be sure not to forget to remember to feed the carp.”

“What is a carp?” asked Patty, as she and Elise ran away to dress.

“Fish, I think,” said Elise, “but we’ll probably find out when we get there.”

The girls were soon ready, and with Lisette they walked out in the bright sunshine and along the Rue de la Paix until they came to the corner where the personally conducted tourists were to start from.

Mr. Farrington had telephoned for tickets, so all they had to do was to clamber into their seats.  This was done by mounting a stepladder placed at the side of the big vehicle.  The seats of the van were graduated in height, so that the back ones were as good as the front, and, indeed, a full view of what was passing could be commanded from any position.

They had to wait until the tourists had all arrived, and then they started off at a good speed toward the country.

“I feel as if I were riding in one of the old royal state carriages,” said Patty, “although there isn’t the slightest resemblance in the vehicle, or the means of locomotion.”

“No,” said Elise, laughing; “nor in the people.  I don’t believe these tourists bear much resemblance to the ladies and gentlemen who rode in the Royal carriages.  But I think it’s more fun than our own car, because we sit up so high and can see everything so well.”

“And hear, too,” said Patty, as they listened to the man in the front seat, who had turned around and was announcing through a megaphone the names of the places as they passed them.