The Vicar and his companion did not notice the two girls, for they were closely examining some cut dahlia blooms.
"We won't speak to them now," Celia continued; "let us go and look at the vegetables."
They accordingly did so. It was not nearly so crowded in the vegetable tent, so they had little difficulty in finding the stall where the onions were laid out for inspection.
"'First prize: Miss Pring, Home Vale, Crumleigh,'" Lulu read out, examining one of the tickets. "Well, I'm glad. They are beauties, aren't they, Celia? Such monsters! They deserve the first prize. There can be no doubt about that. Oh, look, Celia, there's Miss Pring herself standing near the entrance with father."
"Need we speak to her?" Celia inquired.
"I suppose we must; and I should rather like to congratulate her on having won the first prize. Yes, father's beckoning to us. Come along. You'll see how she'll try to take the conceit out of me."
But Miss Pring made no such attempt to-day. She was in high good-humour, and the little girls' white frocks met with her approval.
"How cool and nice you both look," she said, after she had shaken hands with them. "Your father has been wondering where you were, Lulu. One can easily miss another in a crowd like this."
"We have been looking at your onions," Lulu replied. "I am so glad they have taken the first prize."
"So am I," said Celia.