Polly when he jumped up and left the room. Now, of
course, he will get a wrong impression of the whole thing, for the other
children all take her part. Very bad manners to jump up from the tea
table like that. And where _is_ Helen?--where are they all? Now that I
come to think of it, I have seen nothing of any one of them since the
early dinner. Well, well, if it were not for poor Helen I should wash my
hands of the whole concern. But whoever suffers, dear little Scorpion
must have his cream."

Accordingly Mrs. Cameron slowly ascended the stairs, armed with a saucer
and a little jug, and Scorpion forgot the indignities to which he had
been subjected as he lapped up his dainty meal.

Meanwhile, the Doctor having explored the morning room and the
schoolrooms, having peeped into the conservatory, and even peered with
his rather failing sight into the darkness outside, took two or three
strides upstairs, and found himself in the presence of Nurse and baby.

"Well, Pearl," he said, taking the little pure white baby into his arms,
looking into its wee face earnestly, and then giving it a kiss, which
was sad, and yet partook of something of the nature of a blessing.

"Baby goes on well, Nurse," he said, returning the little creature to
the kind woman's arms. Then he looked into her face, and his own
expression changed.

"What is the matter?" he said, abruptly. "You have been crying. Is
anything wrong? Where have all the children vanished to?"

"You have had your tea, sir?" said Nurse, her words coming out in jerks,
and accompanied by fresh sobs. "You have had your tea, and is partial
rested, I hope, so it's but right you should know. The entire family,
sir, every blessed one of them, with the exception of the babe, has took
upon themselves to run away."

CHAPTER XVII.

WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN?

Nurse's news astonished the Doctor very much. He was not a man, however,
to show all he felt. He saw that Nurse was on the verge of hysterics,
and he knew that if he did not take this startling and unpleasant piece
of information in the most matter-of-fact way, he would get nothing out
of her.

"I hope matters are not as bad as you fear," he said. "Sit down in this
chair, and tell me what has occurred. Don't hurry yourself; a few
moments more or less don't signify. Tell your tale quietly, in your own
way."

Thus administered, Nurse gasped once or twice, looked up at the Doctor
with eyes which plainly declared "ther