sew on
the buttons? It is a pity your nose is so wide at the top, and your eyes go
so far round the corners, but it can't be helped. I'm afraid I shall have
to tie them on--"

At this moment the door opened and Nurse Nancy appeared.

"Oh, Nursey, isn't he lovely? Look at him!" cried Terry, running to her.

But Vulcan seemed to know he was now to be put in the wrong. He jumped up,
floundering about in Nurse Nancy's cotton gown, which had got caught from
the front so as to enable him to run.

Once out of the room, he vaulted over the little gate, and tumbled down the
first flight of stairs, the children hurrying after him in spite of Nurse
Nancy's imploring appeals.

Nurse herself was obliged to follow, and, descending, saw him rolling
along, tearing her gown into holes in his efforts to get on, the children
pursuing him with peals of delighted laughter.

Finally, the excited dog escaped through the open back-door into the yard,
where he flopped across, the paving-stones flowing with rain, dragging
Nurse's skirts behind him and buffeting her cap with his paws till he got
rid of it by rending it into a hundred fragments.

At last Vulcan settled himself back in his kennel with the drenched and
ragged remains of Nurse's gown and apron rolled around him, and with an air
of thankfulness for his escape from persecution.

The children had followed him to the kennel, and stood dancing round him in
the pouring rain. Nurse Nancy stood at the door exhorting them to come back
to her.

"You bad childher, you dreadful childher! Miss Terry, I command you to come
in out o' the pours of rain."

"It doesn't hurt, Nursey dear; indeed it doesn't," said Terry, as soon as
her excitement allowed her to hear the voice; and she came running
obediently across the yard.

"Hurt!" cried Nurse angrily, and seized a hand of each of the dripping
children, marching them up the stairs in silence and into the nursery,
where she deposited them on two chairs and stood looking at them in
speechless indignation.

Turly looked defiant; Terry gazed at Nurse with dismay and bewilderment.

"You wicked little girl! I know it was you that did it. Turly would never
have dared to."

"Yes, I would!" said Turly.

"No, indeed, he wouldn't, Nurse. It was all me. But you don't mean that
I've been really wicked. Nurse, do you?"

"Don't I indeed? And my good gown in rags, and my cap in smithereens!"

"I'm very sorry about that, Nursey dear, indeed I am.