off and sleep like tops." And they did it, and before they had
finished, the whole lot of them were perspiring gently and snoring
as softly as lambs.

When they went back to Racketty-Packetty House they talked a good
deal about Cynthia and wondered and wondered why she had left her
scarlet fever so suddenly. And at last Ridiklis made up her mind to
tell them something she had heard.

"The Duchess told me," she said, rather slowly because it was bad
news--"The Duchess said that Cynthia went away because her Mama
had sent for her--and her Mama had sent for her to tell her that a
little girl princess is coming to see her to-morrow. Cynthia's
Mama used to be a maid of honor to the Queen and that's why the
little girl Princess is coming. The Duchess said--" and here
Ridiklis spoke very slowly indeed, "that the nurse was so excited
she said she did not know whether she stood on her head or her
heels, and she must tidy up the nursery and have that Racketty-Packetty
old dolls' house carried down stairs and burned, early to-morrow
morning. That's what the Duchess _said_--"

Meg and Peg and Kilmanskeg clutched at their hearts and gasped and
Gustibus groaned and Lady Patsy caught Peter Piper by the arm to
keep from falling. Peter Piper gulped--and then he had a sudden
cheerful thought.

"Perhaps she was raving in delirium," he said.

"No, she wasn't," said Ridiklis shaking her head, "I had just given
her hot water and cold, and gruel, and broth, and castor oil, and