The curate said, "The sooner the better." But the Lady of the House
asked for our names and addresses, and said she should write to our
father. (She did, and we heard of it too.) They did not do anything to
us, as Oswald at one time believed to be the curate's idea. They let us
go.
And we went, after we had asked for a piece of rope to lead the pig by.
"In case it should come back into your nice room," Alice said. "And that
would be such a pity, wouldn't it?"
A little girl in a starched pinafore was sent for the rope. And as soon
as the pig had agreed to let us tie it round his neck we came away. The
scene in the drawing-room had not been long.
The pig went slowly,
"Like the meandering brook,"
Denny said. Just by the gate the shrubs rustled and opened and the
little girl came out. Her pinafore was full of cake.
"Here," she said. "You must be hungry if you've come all that way. I
think they might have given you some tea after all the trouble you've
had."
We took the cake with correct thanks.
"I wish _I_ could play at circuses," she said. "Tell me about it."
We told her while we ate the cake; and when we had done she said perhaps
it was better to hear about than do, especially the goat's part and
Dicky's.
"But I do wish auntie had given you tea," she said.
We told her not to be too hard on her aunt, because you have to make
allowances for grown-up people.
When we parted she said she would never forget us, and Oswald gave her
his pocket button-hook and corkscrew combined for a keepsake.
* * * * *
Dicky's act with the goat (which is true, and no kid) was the only thing
out of that day that was put in the Golden Deed Book, and he put that in
himself while we were hunting the pig.
Alice and me capturing the pig was never put in. We would scorn to write
our own good actions, but I suppose Dicky was dull with us all away; and
you must pity the dull, and not blame them.
* * * * *
I will not seek to unfold to you how we got the pig home, or how the
donkey was caught (that was poor sport compared to the pig). Nor will I
tell you a word of all that was said and done to the intrepid hunters of
the Black and Learned. I have told you all the interesting part. Seek
not to know the rest. It is better buried in obliquity.