"Yes, no, at least, I don't want to buy anything," I said. "It's only for a stamp, and I don't like taking the boys any farther along the street for fear they should get lost. It's so dreadfully crowded to-night."
The gentleman smiled at this, but his smile was nicer than the other one's smile, for it didn't seem as if he was laughing at me.
"And are you not afraid of getting lost yourself?" he said. "You are a very little girl to be out without a nurse."
I got really alarmed at that. Supposing he were to call a policeman and send us home with him, as I had heard was sometimes done in London with lost or strayed children! What a terrible fuss it would make.
"Oh, no," I said eagerly. "We've come such a little way. It was only to post a letter, but I have no stamp. Please I think we'd better go and try to find the post-office."
I took tight hold of the boys' hand again, and we were turning to go, when our new friend stopped us.
"Stay," he said, "if it is only a stamp for a letter that you want, I can easily give you one."
He turned towards the man who was writing at the desk place and said something quickly, and the man held out a stamp which the gentleman handed to me.
"Shall I put it on the letter for you?" he asked.
"Oh no, thank you," I said, in a great hurry to get away now that I had actually the precious stamp in my possession. "I can put it on quite well. Here is the penny, and thank you very much for the stamp."