Vinnie wanted to stay longer at the Crystal Palace, but Florence wanted to leave.
"I didn't get to see everything," Vinnie complained.
"Hush, Florence needs our help,"
Mandy whispered as the children followed Florence outside.
Suddenly, Florence cried out, "Miss Charlotte!"
A girl about Mandy's age was walking on the other side of the street.
She stopped when she saw Florence.
"Miss Charlotte!" cried Florence again.
Charlotte crossed the street looking very sorry.
"This is most upsetting," Florence said to her.
"Don't be angry," Charlotte said.
"I just wanted to have some fun by myself."
"Well, it wasn't fun for me!" Florence said.
"Who are you?"
asked Charlotte, looking at Vinnie and Mandy.
Florence introduced the children to her.
"You're visiting London?" Charlotte said excitedly.
"Florence, we must show them around.
We can go to father's factory!"
"A factory?" asked Mandy.
After the Crystal Palace, a factory didn't sound very interesting.
"Your father wouldn't like it," began Florence.
"Would you like to go?" Charlotte asked the children.
"Well," replied Vinnie.
"We can take that cab!" Charlotte exclaimed.
She ran to a nearby carriage and got in before Florence could object.
"This is a cab?"
whispered Vinnie, climbing into the horse-drawn carriage.
"Cool!"
The carriage rolled through the London streets.
The children listened to the pleasant clip-clop of the horse's hooves.
As they rode through the city, Mandy noticed the streets changing.
The colorful streets, alive with people and shops, became dark and empty.
"Where is everyone?" asked Mandy.
She looked out the carriage window.
Poorly dressed children were playing outside.
A few older people sat on doorsteps.
"Most people are in the factories," explained Florence.
Then she pointed to some big, brick buildings.
Their tall chimneys poured dark smoke into the sky.
"Are all these buildings factories?"
asked Mandy, looking at the gloomy buildings.
"Yes," said Florence.
"Here we are!" Charlotte called out cheerfully.
They stopped at a factory door.
Charlotte jumped out of the carriage and ran inside.
Florence asked the cab driver to wait for them.
Then Vinnie, Mandy, and Florence followed Charlotte inside.
They walked into a large room filled with long tables.
Ten women sat at each table, among piles of pieces of cloth.
The women were sewing the pieces by hand.
Mandy looked around.
"Vinnie, look!" she said in a shocked voice.
Many of the people working in the factory were children.