Father might come home at any moment, and if he found
the burglar here HE wouldn't believe the true truth any more than
the police would. That's the worst of the truth. Nobody ever
believes it. Couldn't we take him somewhere else?'
Jane clapped her hands.
'The sunny southern shore!' she cried, 'where the cook is being
queen. He and she would be company for each other!'
And really the idea did not seem bad, if only he would consent to
go.
So, all talking at once, the children arranged to wait till
evening, and then to seek the dear burglar in his lonely cell.
Meantime Jane and Anthea darned away as hard as they could, to make
the carpet as strong as possible. For all felt how terrible it
would be if the precious burglar, while being carried to the sunny
southern shore, were to tumble through a hole in the carpet, and be
lost for ever in the sunny southern sea.
The servants were tired after Mrs Wigson's party, so every one went
to bed early, and when the Phoenix reported that both servants were
snoring in a heartfelt and candid manner, the children got up--they
had never undressed; just putting their nightgowns on over their
things had been enough to deceive Eliza when she came to turn out
the gas. So they were ready for anything, and they stood on the
carpet and said--
'I wish we were in our burglar's lonely cell.
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