ned and looked
rather foolish but said nothing. "And now," went on Sandy, pushing
aside the excited dreams that crowded round him, "make way, all of
you! Let these young people see who's come to welcome them." He led
the children across the glade to where, throned on a pile of sacks,
sat the Corn-cob Queen! There she was in her greeny-yellowy gown, her
little head erect, her sweet face smiling, her tiny hands stretched
out to greet the children. They could have hugged her, but they didn't
dare, she looked, in spite of being just a doll and an old-fashioned
one at that, so truly like a Queen. Back of her majesty stood a group
of doll ladies-in-waiting dressed in their gayest clothes, and among
them were Ann's very own children, Marie-Louise and Angelina-Elfrida!
They did not look haughty or naughty or cross any more, but smiled
sweetly at their little mother.

"Yes," said the Queen, "I have come to welcome you back, dears, and to
say good-by, for I suppose you would like to go home to your Aunt Jane
now, wouldn't you?"

"Oh, yes, indeed, please your Majesty," cried Rudolf and Ann in one
breath--but Peter said nothing. He was gazing rather regretfully at
the False Hare who lounged near by, smoking his chocolate cigarette
and polishing the nap of his silk hat with the back of his paw. The
False Hare winked at Peter and edged a little closer to him. "Mighty
glad to see the last of you, old chap," he whispered. Then Peter
smiled all over, he was so pleased.

"Yes, I suppose it's time for you to be going, if go you really
must," sighed Sandy. "And since you're in such a hurry, I'm happy to
be able to include you in that consignment of your aunt's after all.
She"--and he bowed gallantly to the Queen--"says it's all right, and
what she says goes, though to be sure, it's out of order, slightly out
of order!" As he spoke he took his list out of his pocket and ran his
eye over it once more. "Hullo," said he in a surprised tone, "there's
one more item on Miss Jane Mackenzie's and it seems to be missing!
Comparatively unimportant, but I like to have my things complete. 'One
lost Kitten!' Now what can have become of that, I wonder?"

It was Captain Jinks' voice that broke the silence. "Prisoner of War,
sir! Taken with others by the Commander-in-Chief in the recent
glorious victory of the tin soldiers over the cat pirates. Here you
are, sir!" He motioned to two of the soldiers who stood on guard
over something in a dim corner of