Do you think it's that, Tim? I'm
sure Grandpapa and Grandmamma would be so pleased they'd give them lots
of money if they took us back."
"I'm afeared it's not taking you home they're thinking of, missie," said
Tim grimly.
"Then why don't you help us to run away, Tim?" said Duke impatiently.
"I've asked you and asked you. I'm sure us might run away _now_--there's
nobody looking after us."
"And where would we run to?" said Tim. "There's not a mortal house nor a
tree even to be seen. Run away, indeed! We'd be cotched--cotched afore
we'd run half a mile. And yet it's the very first time you've bin let
run about a little. I'm ready enough to run away, but no good running
away to be cotched again--it 'ud be worser nor ever."
"Then is us never to run away? Is us never to see Grandpapa, and
Grandmamma, and Dymock, and Biddy, and Nurse, and Toby--oh, dear
Toby!--and the garden, and the nursery, and our little beds, again?"
said both children, speaking together and helping each other with the
list of their lost blessings, and in the end bursting into tears.
Tim looked at them ruefully.
"Don't 'ee now, don't 'ee, master and missy," he said anxiously.
"They'll see you've been crying, and they'll not let you out any more."
Duke and Pamela tried to choke down their sobs.
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