The floor of the room was covered by the carpet. It was loosely but difficultly woven of very thick soft rope of a red colour. When I say difficultly, I mean that it wasn't just straight-forward in the weaving, but the threads went over and under and round about in such a determined and bewildering way that Philip felt--and said--that he would rather untie the string of a hundred of the most difficult parcels than tackle this. 'Well,' said Mr. Noah, 'I leave you to it. Board and lodging will be provided at the Provisional Palace where you slept last night. All citizens are bound to assist when called upon. Dinner is at one. _Good_-morning!' Philip sat down in the dark archway and gazed helplessly at the twisted strands of the carpet. After a moment of hesitation Lucy sat down too, clasped her arms round her knees, and she also gazed at the carpet. They had all the appearance of shipwrecked mariners looking out over a great sea and longing for a sail. 'Ha ha--tee hee!' said a laugh close behind them. They turned. And it was the motor-veiled lady, the hateful Pretenderette, who had crept up close behind them, and was looking down at them through her veil. 'What do you want?' said Philip severely. 'I want to laugh,' said the motor lady. 'I want to laugh at _you_. And I'm going to.' 'Well go and laugh somewhere else then,' Philip suggested. 'Ah! but this is where I want to laugh. You and your carpet! You'll never do it. You don't know how. But _I_ do.' 'Come away,' whispered Lucy, and they went. The Pretenderette followed slowly. Outside, a couple of Dutch dolls in check suits were passing, arm in arm. 'Help!' cried Lucy suddenly, and the Dutch dolls paused and took their hats off. 'What is it?' the taller doll asked, stroking his black painted moustache. 'Mr. Noah said all citizens were bound to help us,' said Lucy a little breathlessly. 'But of course,' said the shorter doll, bowing with stiff courtesy. 'Then,' said Lucy, 'will you _please_ take that motor person away and put her somewhere where she can't bother till we've done the carpet?' 'Delighted,' exclaimed the agreeable Dutch strangers, darted up the steps and next moment emerged with the form of the Pretenderette between them, struggling indeed, but struggling vainly. 'You need not have the slightest further anxiety,' the taller Dutchman said; 'dismiss the incident from your mind. We will take her to the hall of justice. Her offence is bothering people in pursuit of their duty. The sentence is imprisonment for as long as the botheree chooses. Good-morning.' 'Oh, _thank you_!' said both the children together. When they were alone, Philip said--and it was not easy to say it: 'That was jolly clever of you, Lucy. I should never have thought of it.' 'Oh, that's nothing,' said Lucy, looking down. 'I could do more than that.' 'What?' he asked. 'I could unravel the carpet,' said Lucy, with deep solemnity. 'But it's me that's got to do it,' Philip urged.