o distinguish anything.

"Carrots," she said, but there was no answer. "Where can he be?" she
said rather anxiously. "Floss, run and get a light."

Floss ran off: she was back again in a minute, for she had met nurse on
the stairs with a candle in her hand. But even with the light they could
not all at once find Carrots, and though they called to him there was no
answer.

"Can he have got out of the window?" Mrs. Desart was beginning to say,
when Floss interrupted her.

"Here he is, mamma," she exclaimed. "Oh, poor little Carrots! mamma,
nursie, do look."

There he was indeed--fast, fast asleep! Extra fast sleep, for his
troubles and his tears had worn him out. He was lying in a corner of a
large closet opening out of the dressing-room. In this closet Captain
Desart hung up his coats and dressing-gowns, and doubtless Carrots had
crept into it when the room began to get dark, feeling as if in the
hanging garments there was some comfort and protection; and there he
lay, looking so fair and innocent, prettier than when he was awake, for
his cheeks had more colour, and his long eye-lashes, reddy-brown like
his hair, showed clearly on his fair skin.

"Poor little fellow, how sweet he looks," said Mrs. Desart. "Nurse, lift
him up and try to put him to bed without waking him. We must wait to
disentangle the confusion in his mind till to-morrow morning."

And very tenderly nurse lifted him up and carried him off.

"My bonnie wee man," she murmured; for though it was many and many a day
since she had seen her native land, and she had journeyed with her
master and mistress to strange countries "far over the sea," she was apt
when her feelings were stirred to fall back into her own childish
tongue.

So no more was said to or about Carrots that evening; but Floss went to
bed quite happy and satisfied that "mamma" would put it all right in the
morning. I don't think Mott went to bed in so comfortable a mood; yet
his mother had said nothing to him!

Cecil and Louise had, though. Cecil told him right out that he was a
horrid tell-tale, and Louise said she only wished _he_ had red hair
instead of Carrots; which expressions of feeling on the part of such
very grown-up young ladies meant a good deal, for it was not often they
troubled themselves much about nursery matters. Cecil, that is to say,
for Louise, who was fair haired and soft and gentle, and played very
nicely on the piano, was just a shadow of Cecil, and if Cecil h