“Oh, that is dreadful!” cried Emma. She was conscience-stricken. It was a bad scrape, and it was mainly her fault. “Mrs. Stanhope is so kind,” she went on hopefully, “perhaps she will not be so very angry.” Fani shook his head. “You don’t know about it, Emma. Of course Mrs. Stanhope is the greatest benefactress in the world. But she is very particular about our minding exactly what she tells us; and one of her principal rules is that we must never disturb the regularity of the household, and must keep punctually to just such hours; and now see what we have done! We shall not get home till twelve o’clock to-night, midnight! Probably they are hunting for us everywhere. How will it all turn out? Oh, dear! if she sends us off, there’s an end of drawing and painting for me! That’s all over”; and Fani looked despairing. Emma felt that he knew Mrs. Stanhope far better than she did, and her courage began to fail. They sat in silence till the train came along. At the end of their journey they had a long walk from the station to Rosemount, and they stumbled along in the dark, frightened and trembling, and scarcely exchanging a word. Their hearts beat more and more as they neared the house. As they entered the court-yard, the watch-dog began to bark, but he stopped when he heard Fani’s voice. The great house-door was opened, and Aunt Clarissa came out to meet them from the lighted hall. “Is it you?” she cried. “Thank God!” and she drew them into the house. Mrs. Stanhope had not gone to bed. She was standing just inside the door. “Now you may tell me all about it,” she said, looking seriously at the children, who presented a shocking appearance. “So, you’ve been in the water! Where are the men?” The children stammered out that they had seen no men. They had just come up from the station. Mrs. Stanhope shook her head. “Some one must be sent to the fisherman’s hut to tell the men to stop the search,” she said coldly. “I will leave the care of the children to more skilful hands”; and she withdrew without more words. Aunt Clarissa put them to bed directly, and a big pitcher of hot tea was brought to each of them, from which they had to drink one steaming cup after another, till they were warmed through. Then Clarissa sat down first by Emma’s bed, and then by Fani’s, to learn exactly what had happened, and whether they had met with any injuries that would need a doctor’s attention. In the midst of assurances that they were not injured, and of attempts to explain what had happened, the two tired miscreants fell asleep, and Aunt Clarissa went to her room with thankful heart that things were no worse.