The Serpent would have answered except that the "dear" unnerved her. She faded to tears once more. "Come, come," said Mr. Symington. And at that, as they afterwards remembered, Mabel "came." She came through the trees in a white dress, and the sunshine threw patches of beautiful colour on her hair. "Oh, little Betty!" she cried. Then she saw the Serpent. She took Elsie right up against the beautiful white dress and kissed her. Mabel could not speak at all. But her eyes glowed. She turned them full on Mr. Symington. "We must take these children home at once," she said. Mr. Symington looked as though he had been rescuing an army. "Yes," said he gravely. Robin had trailed in looking somewhat dissatisfied. "Jean would go, wouldn’t she?" he asked. "Oh no, I don’t want mummy to know," said Mabel. "She is up there with Mrs. Clutterbuck. These two must go home, and get hot baths, and be put to bed and sat upon, or they won’t stay there. Where can we get a cab, I wonder?" "Here," said a voice. Adelaide Maud now came through that beautiful pathway of sun-patched trees with Elma. "I’ve heard all about it," said she, "and we have the carriage. Borrow wraps from every one and tuck them in. We shall keep Mrs. Clutterbuck employed till Mr. Symington comes back." It seemed that they all took it for granted that Mr. Symington would go. Robin showed signs of losing his temper. Mabel as a rule, when these imperious fits descended on him began to investigate her conduct and wonder where she might alter it in order that he might be appeased. This time, however, she was too anxious and concerned over Betty, and while Jean might be quite whole-hearted in her manner of looking after people, one could not depend on her for knowing the best ways in which to set about it. In any case, the two could not be kept there shivering. Adelaide Maud was a trifle indignant at the interruption. "Quick," she said to Mr. Symington, "get them in and off." "Oh you are the fairy princess, always, somehow, aren’t you," sighed Betty, happily, as on their being tucked in rugs and waterproofs, Adelaide Maud gave quick decided orders to the coachman. "Isn’t she just like a story book," she sighed rapturously. They drove swirling homewards, in a damp quick exciting way until they pulled up at the door of the White House. "Oh, mine was nearer," said the Serpent nervously. She had never entered the portals of the White House in this intimate manner, and suddenly longed for loneliness once more. "Well," said Mabel sweetly and nicely, "you will just have to imagine that this is as near for to-day at least. Because I am going to put you to bed." They laughed very happily because they were being put to bed like babies. "If only Cuthbert were here," said Mabel anxiously and in a motherly little way to Mr. Symington, afterwards, "he would tell me whether they oughtn’t to have a hot drink, and a number of other things they say they won’t have."