, and bread and things.

Then, when the pudding was all gone, Alice said:

"Come on."

And we came on. We did not want to be disagreeable, though really we
were keen on being detectives and sifting that perambulator to the very
dregs. But boys have to try to take an interest in their sisters'
secrets, however silly. This is part of being a good brother.

Alice led us across the field where the sheep once fell into the brook,
and across the brook by the plank. At the other end of the next field
there was a sort of wooden house on wheels, that the shepherd sleeps in
at the time of year when lambs are being born, so that he can see that
they are not stolen by gypsies before the owners have counted them.

To this hut Alice now led her kind brothers and Daisy's kind brother.

"Dora is inside," she said, "with the Secret. We were afraid to have it
in the house in case it made a noise."

The next moment the Secret was a secret no longer, for we all beheld
Dora, sitting on a sack on the floor of the hut, with the Secret in her
lap.

It was the High-born Babe!

Oswald was so overcome that he sat down suddenly, just like Betsy
Trotwood did in _David Copperfield_, which just shows what a true author
Dickens is.

"You've done it this time," he said. "I suppose you know you're a
baby-stealer?"

"I'm not," Dora said. "I've adopted him."

"Then it was you," Dicky said, "who scuttled the perambulator in the
wood?"

"Yes," Alice said; "we couldn't get it over the stile unless Dora put
down the Baby, and we were afraid of the nettles for his legs. His name
is to be Lord Edward."

"But, Dora--really, don't you think--"

"If you'd been there you'd have done the same," said Dora, firmly. "The
gypsies had gone. Of course something had frightened them, and they fled
from justice. And the little darling was awake and held out his arms to
me. No, he hasn't cried a bit, and I know all about babies; I've often
nursed Mrs. Simpkins's daughter's baby when she brings it up on Sundays.
They have bread and milk to eat. You take him, Alice, and I'll go and
get some bread and milk for him."

Alice took the noble brat. It was horribly lively, and squirmed about in
her arms, and wanted to crawl on the floor. She could only keep it quiet
by saying things to it a boy would be ashamed even to think of saying,
such as "Goo goo," and "Did ums was," and "Ickle ducksums then."

When Alice used these expressions the Baby laughed and chuckled