All the people were leaving their seats now, and our party got up too.
"Open your bag, Kate, I should like a bun now," said Marion, and she took one herself and handed some to the rest of the party, who were pushing and elbowing their way through the crowd.
"What a dreadful crush there is," said Marion. "Kate, you haven't brought another purse to lose, have you?" she whispered.
Kate shook her head, for she was eating now from the bag as she carried it open in her hand. The next minute some one cried out, "I have been robbed—my watch has gone!" and the crowd surged back, and Kate was almost pushed off her feet.
There were cries of "Police! police! stop thief! stop thief!" and during the confusion that ensued Kate and Marion, who managed to keep together, were pushed into a corner and separated, from all their friends.
"Shut up your bag, Kate, or it may be snatched out of your hand, gaping open like that," said Marion.
"Oh! what is it, when shall we get out?" exclaimed Kate, turning very pale.
"There, don't be frightened," said Marion. "The crowd will move on directly, and the others will wait for us outside. It's nothing but a few pickpockets, you need not look so frightened."
"Oh, I wish we hadn't come!" said Kate, fairly trembling with undefined terror. She shut her bag, for neither she nor Marion could eat anything now, and even Marion began to get frightened at last, for only murmured words among the crowd could tell them what was going on, but there was a bustle and expectancy and a swaying to and fro of the multitude that convinced Marion something unusual must be taking place, for they did not move a step forward for all the pushing and squeezing.
"Oh, dear! how late we shall be," said Kate, after a few minutes' waiting. "Can't we get out, Marion?"