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CHAPTER XV.

LOOKING FOR LODGINGS.

"THIS is a nice hotel," said Mrs. Morelle. Yes, Auntie," said Grimkie. "It is a very nice hotel indeed."

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was a very pleasant little sitting-room that were in, with a bright fire blazing in the Mrs. Morelle was sitting in a comfortable chair before the fire, and Grimkie, Florence, and John, were looking out at the window. They saw before them a large harbor, including two or three extensive basins, all enclosed by long piers of solid masonry, running out half a mile into the sea. Within the basins a great number of steamers and ships were lying. Among them the Comet, the steamer in which they had She was blowing off her surplus steam.

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Beyond was the castle on the island, and to the

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on the mainland, were the impending cliffs Precipitous slopes which bordered the promon the side toward the town.

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It is a very nice hotel," said Florence, "and there is a nice lookout from the windows, but

Grimkie and I want you not to stay here, but to take lodgings."

"Why do you wish me to take lodgings ?” asked Mrs. Morelle.

"Because then we shall stay longer," said Florence.

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'You see, Auntie," added Grimkie, by way of strengthening the argument, "there is a boat from here to Guernsey, our next place, almost every day. So we can stay here as long as we please, and then watch for a pleasant day to go to Guernsey. We can take the lodgings first for a week, and then after that by the day, until we have a good day to go."

Mrs. Morelle mused a moment in silence, and then said,

"But it is a great deal of trouble to go out and try to find lodgings. We don't know anything about the town, or where the pleasant streets are. If we inquire at the hotel, very likely they will have some place that they are interested in recommending, and yet one that would not suit us at all."

"We will go and find the lodging, Auntie,” said Grimkie, "and come and bring you word. You can reinain here at the hotel. They will bring you some books to read. They always have books at these English hotels.

You see we

are in England now altogether. Florence and I will go and take a walk about the town. When we come to a pleasant street with lodging houses in it, we will go in and see some of them, and when we find some rooms that we think you would like, we will come and tell you."

"But you must not engage the rooms," said Mrs. Morelle.

"No, mother," said Florence, "we will not engage them until you come and see them."

"Well," said Mrs. Morelle; "I don't see that there will be any great harm in letting you go and look,-provided you don't engage the rooms until I come.'

So Mrs. Morelle rang the bell. A nice looking girl, one of the waiters of the hotel, answered it. Mrs. Morelle asked her for some books. The girl went away to bring some. Florence put on her bonnet and shawl again, and bidding her mother good bye, went out with Grimkie. John accompanied them down stairs, though he had concluded not to go with them in search of lodgings, but to amuse himself on the piers among the shipping, and in the neighboring streets, until they should return.

On their way down stairs they met the girl coming up, bringing with her an armful of very interesting looking books.

"Are there any pictures in them ?" asked Florence, as she passed the girl.

"Yes," said the girl, "some of them are full of pictures."

"Then we will have a good time looking ther over ourselves, Grimkie, when we come home," said Florence.

When the three children reached the street, John bade Florence and Grimkie good bye, and went toward the piers. Florence and Grimkie turned a corner into a street, which seemed to lead toward the heart of the town.

"How shall we know which way to go ?" asked Florence. "Don't you think we had better inquire ?"

"We don't know what to inquire for," said Grimkie. "For we don't know where we want to go. The best way will be to walk about till we get into the centre of the town, and then find the handsomest streets, and look for signs of "Rooms to Let," in the windows."

As Grimkie and Florence walked on they were surprised to find how large the town seemed to be. Streets branched off around them in every direction. Presently they came to a carriage-stand, where there was a long line of carriages waiting to be hired. Among these were several Hansom cabs, so called. A Hansom cab is a vehicle used

a great deal in London. It is a kind of chaise, open in front, and with a seat for the driver high up behind, so that the reins pass down over the top of the cab, and over the heads of the passengers, to the horse.

Going on a little farther, they came to a kind of square with hotels on the sides of it, and shops, and a bank, and an insurance office, on the corners of streets near.

"We must be pretty near the centre of the town," said Grimkie. "I see the bank and an insurance office; and I expect we shall come to the post-office pretty soon."

After going a little farther, they came into a long but rather narrow street, full of shops, some of which made quite a stylish appearance. The street. was narrow, and there were scarcely any carriages to be seen or heard in it. But upon the sidewalks, and even in the middle of the street, great numbers of gentlemen and ladies were seen walking to and fro, and going into the shops, or looking at the goods displayed at the windows. Many of the shops were quite large and handsome, and extended to a great depth and on looking into them, long counters could be seen with chairs before them, and ladies sitting upon the chairs, looking at silks, and ribbons, or standing before a large mirror, and trying on

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