She did not like to go herself, for she knew that nurse and Mrs. White
were fond of a comfortable talk together and might not like to be
interrupted by her. But Carrots they would not mind.

Carrots set off obediently, but before he got to the door he met nurse
coming out. She was followed by Mrs. White and both were talking rather
earnestly.

"You'll let me know, if so be as you find it, Mrs. Hooper; you won't
forget?" Mrs. White was saying--Hooper was nurse's name--"for I feel
quite uneasy--I do that, for you."

"I'll let you know, and thank you, Mrs. White," said nurse. "I'm glad I
happened to bring some of my own money with me too, for I should have
been sorry to put you to any ill-convenience by my carelessness--though
how I could have been so careless as to mislay it, I'm sure it's more
than I can say."

"It is, indeed, and you so careful," said Mrs. White sympathisingly.

Just then nurse caught sight of Carrots.

"Come along, Master Carrots," she said, "I was just going to look for
you. Wherever's Miss Floss? We must be quick; it's quite time we were
home."

"I'll tell Floss," said Carrots, disappearing again down the path, and
in another moment Floss and he ran back to nurse.

Though they had been very quick, nurse seemed to think they had been
slow. She even scolded Floss a very little as if she had been kept
waiting by her and Carrots, when she was in a hurry to go, and both
Floss and Carrots felt that this was very hard when the fact was that
they had been waiting for nurse till they were both tired and cold.

"It wasn't Floss's fault. Floss wanted _you_ to come quick, and she
sended me to see," said Carrots indignantly.

"Hold your tongue, Master Carrots," said nurse sharply.

Carrots' face got very red, he gave nurse one reproachful look, but did
not speak. He took Floss's hand and pulled her on in front. But Floss
would not go; she drew her hand away.

"No, Carrots, dear," she said in a low voice, "it wouldn't be kind to
leave nurse all alone when she is sorry about something."

"Is she sorry about something?" said Carrots.

"Yes," replied Floss, "I am sure she is. You run on for a minute. I want
to speak to nurse."

Carrots ran on and Floss stayed behind.

"Nurse," she said softly, slipping her hand through nurse's arm, which,
by stretching up on tip-toe, she was just able to do, "nurse, dear,
what's the matter?"

"Nothing much, Miss Flossie," replied nurse, patting the kind littl