She had worn her large fur cape of stone-marten,her
grandmother's,that Elizabeth Eliza had been urging her to have
made into a foot-rug. Now how she wished she had! And there
were Mr. Peterkin's new overshoes, and Agamemnon had brought
an umbrella, and the little boys had their mittens. Their
india-rubber boots, fortunately, they had on, in the character of
birds. But Solomon John had worn a fur cap, and Elizabeth Eliza
a muff. Should they lose all these valuables entirely, and go home
in the cold without them? No, it would be better to wait till
everybody had gone, and then look carefully over the floors for the
checks; if only the little boys could know where Agamemnon had
been, they were willing to look. Mr. Peterkin was not sure as they
would have time to reach the train.
Still, they would need something to wear, and he could not tell the
time. He had not brought his watch. It was a Waltham watch, and
he thought it would not be in character for Peter the Great to wear
it.
At this moment the strains of "Home, Sweet Home" were heard
from the band, and people were seen preparing to go.
"All can go home, but we must stay," said Mrs. Peterkin, gloomily,
as the well-known strains floated in from the larger hall.
A number of marshals came to the refreshment-room, looked at
them, whispered to each other, as the Peterkins sat in a row.
"Can we do anything for you?" asked one at last.
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