are poor people, ma'am, and the mother is
a hard-working woman, and she's nearly crazed with grief about the baby."

"I should think she would be," said Patty, whose quick sympathies had
already flown to the sorrowing mother. "She oughtn't to have left an
irresponsible child in charge of the little thing. But it's dreadful to
think how anxious she must be! Now I'll tell you what we'll do; Mr.
Phelps, if you'll get out your car, I'll just bundle that child up and
we'll take her right straight back home to her mother. We'll stop at the
Ripleys' for Papa and Nan, and we'll all go over together. It's a lovely
moonlight night for a drive, anyway, and even if it were pitch dark, or
pouring in torrents, I should want to get that baby back to her mother
just as quickly as possible. I don't wonder the poor woman is
distracted."

"Very well," said Mr. Phelps, who would have driven his car to Kamschatka
if Patty had asked him to, "and we'll take this gentleman along with us,
to direct us to Mrs. Brown's."

Mr. Phelps went for his car, and Patty flew to bundle up the baby. She
did not dress the child, but wrapped her in a warm blanket, and then in a
fur-lined cape of her own. Then making a bundle of the baby's clothes,
she presented herself at the door, just as Mr. Phelps drove up with his
splendid great car shining in the moonlight.

A few moments' pause was sufficient to gather in Mr. and Mrs. Fairfield,
and away they all flew through the night, to Mrs. Brown's humble cottage.

They found the poor woman not only grieving about the loss of her child,
but angry and revengeful against the lady and gentleman in the motor-car,
who, she thought, had stolen it.

And so when the car stopped in front of her door, she came running out
followed by her husband and several children.

Little Sarah recognised the car, which was unusual in size and shape, and
cried out, "That's the one, that's the one, mother! and those are the
people who stole Mary!"

But the young detective, whose name was Mr. Faulks, sprang out of the car
and began to explain matters to the astonished family. Then Patty handed
out the baby, and the grief of the Browns was quickly turned to
rejoicing, mingled with apologies.

Mr. Fairfield explained further to the somewhat bewildered mother, and
leaving with her a substantial present of money as an evidence of good
faith in the matter, he returned to his place in the car, and in a moment
they were whizzing back towar