llow Babs and her captor into the warm, cosy
study. Certainly, no one could have said that Miss Finlayson's room looked
stiff or austere at night, when the curtains were drawn and the fire had
burned down to a rich red glow.

There was something like an uncomfortable pause, as soon as they found
themselves assembled there, with the light full on their faces. It was
true that the expedition had not failed, and that the Babe was as free
to escape now as she had been before Miss Finlayson came upon the scene;
but, for all that, none of them could help feeling that Miss Finlayson,
so far, had the game in her own hands, and that they were only making
themselves look ridiculous. For they could all see that her face was
overflowing with merriment, as she stooped down and poked the fire into a
blaze.

Egbert cleared his throat, and tried to relieve the awkwardness of the
position by making some sort of an apology. He knew quite well that, being
the eldest, he ought to have suppressed the plot in the very beginning.

'I am afraid you will think us rather mad,' he began, 'but the Babe's
letter put us all on our mettle; and we thought--that is, some of us
thought she ought to be rescued. Of course, we hadn't seen you then,' he
added desperately. Any apology for the rescue party certainly involved
the most unflattering insinuations about his hostess; and Egbert in his
confusion thought exceedingly bitter things about Kit and Peter, who
had dragged him against his will on this wild adventure.

'It was awfully nice of you to think of me,' murmured Barbara, but her
tone was not so enthusiastic as it might have been. If only Finny would
stop being so obliging about it, she was sure she would find it so much
easier to run away.

'Exceedingly nice!' echoed Miss Finlayson, warmly. 'I am only sorry
there should be this delay in carrying out your plan. However, that is
no reason why we should not have something to eat, while Barbara is
making up her mind. It must be nearly midnight, and I am starving. Will
one of you come and help me to forage?

Egbert volunteered, with a feeling of relief at having something to do;
and he followed her out of the room. The moment the door closed, the
children's tongues were loosed.

'Dear, dear Babs,' cried Robin, dancing round her gleefully; 'you will
come away from the horrid, cross old thing, won't you?'

'Finny isn't cross, Bobbin; it's the others,' remonstrated Babs.

'Why, of course you're c