But no one was to be seen; indeed, the street seemed to be deserted, for no one was about but themselves, and, their footsteps ringing sharp and clear on the hard, frosty ground, seemed to fill Kate with terror again.
"Oh, pray do make haste, Marion," she cried, in a half-suppressed tone, as though she was afraid of the sound of her own voice.
"Oh, all right, you need not be in such a fright. I suppose you were never out late at night before," said Marion.
"Not so late as this, and by myself too," said Kate.
"Oh, well, we shan't be long," and Marion hurried on now, and in a few minutes they had reached the well-remembered street—quiet now, for a wonder, as it seemed to Kate, and she began to breathe more freely.
The shop was shut up, of course, but Mrs. Maple came to let them in almost as soon as they had rung the bell. "Has your father gone?" she said in some surprise, at seeing the girls by themselves.
"Yes, ma'am; he has gone to take a friend home," said Marion, quickly.
They went straight up to bed, and Kate put her bag into her box, where she usually kept it, without thinking of the buns that were left.
"I'm so glad it is over and we are safe at home again," said Kate with a sigh of relief.
"I hope we shall soon have another treat just like it," said Marion, thinking of her new friends.