The Twins were very much scared to be talking to the Judges, but they told about the Tinkers and how they found Diddy in the bog, and the Judges nodded their heads and looked very wise, and finally the chief one said, “Faith, there’s not her equal in the whole Fair! She gets the blue ribbon, or I’m no Judge.”
All the other men said the same. Then they gave the blue ribbon to the Twins, and Eileen tied it on Diddy’s other ear! Diddy did not seem to like being dressed up. She wiggled her ears and squealed.
Just then there was the gay sound of a horn. Tara, tara, tara! it sang, and right into the middle of the Fairground drove a great tally-ho coach, with pretty young ladies and fine young gentlemen riding on top of it.
Everybody turned away from Diddy and the Twins to see this grand sight!
The footman jumped down and helped down the ladies, while the driver, in livery, stood beside the horses’ heads with his hand on their bridles.
Then all the young gentlemen and ladies went about the Fair to see the sights.
“’Tis a grand party from the Castle,” said Mr McQueen to the Twins. “And sure, that’s the Earl’s daughter, the Lady Kathleen herself, with the pink roses on her hat! I haven’t seen a sight of her since she was a slip of a girl, the size of yourselves.”
Lady Kathleen and her party came by just at that moment, and when she saw Diddy with her ribbons and the Twins beside her, the Lady Kathleen stopped.
The Twins could hardly take their eyes
