She had worn her large fur cape of stone-marten,-her grandmother's,-that Elizabeth Eliza had been urging her to have made into a foot-rug.Now how she wished she had! And there were Mr.Peterkin's new overshoes, and Agamemnon had brought an umbrella, and the little boys had their mittens.Their india-rubber boots, fortunately, they had on, in the character of birds.But Solomon John had worn a fur cap, and Elizabeth Eliza a muff.Should they lose all these valuables entirely, and go home in the cold without them? No, it would be better to wait till everybody had gone, and then look carefully over the floors for the checks; if only the little boys could know where Agamemnon had been, they were willing to look.Mr.Peterkin was not sure as they would have time to reach the train.
Still, they would need something to wear, and he could not tell the time.He had not brought his watch.It was a Waltham watch, and he thought it would not be in character for Peter the Great to wear it.
At this moment the strains of "Home, Sweet Home" were heard from the band, and people were seen preparing to go.
"All can go home, but we must stay," said Mrs.Peterkin, gloomily, as the well-known strains floated in from the larger hall.
A number of marshals came to the refreshment-room, looked at them, whispered to each other, as the Peterkins sat in a row.
"Can we do anything for you?" asked one at last."Would you not like to go?" He seemed eager they should leave the room.
Mr.Peterkin explained that they could not go, as they had lost the checks for their wraps, and hoped to find their checks on the floor when everybody was gone.The marshal asked if they could not describe what they had worn, in which case the loss of the checks was not so important, as the crowds had now almost left, and it would not be difficult to identify their wraps.Mrs.Peterkin eagerly declared she could describe every article.
It was astonishing how the marshals hurried them through the quickly deserted corridors, how gladly they recovered their garments! Mrs.Peterkin, indeed, was disturbed by the eagerness of the marshals; she feared they had some pretext for getting the family out of the hall.Mrs.Peterkin was one of those who never consent to be forced to anything.She would not be compelled to go home, even with strains of music.She whispered her suspicions to Mr.Peterkin; but Agamemnon came hastily up to announce the time, which he had learned from the clock in the large hall.They must leave directly if they wished to catch the latest train, as there was barely time to reach it.
Then, indeed, was Mrs.Peterkin ready to leave.If they should miss the train!
If she should have to pass the night in the streets in her turban! She was the first to lead the way, and, panting, the family followed her, just in time to take the train as it was leaving the station.
The excitement was not yet over.They found in the train many of their friends and neighbors, returning also from the Carnival; so they had many questions put to them which they were unable to answer.Still Mrs.Peterkin's turban was much admired, and indeed the whole appearance of the family; so that they felt themselves much repaid for their exertions.
But more adventures awaited them.They left the train with their friends; but as Mrs.Peterkin and Elizabeth Eliza were very tired, they walked very slowly, and Solomon John and the little boys were sent on with the pass-key to open the door.They soon returned with the startling intelligence that it was not the right key, and they could not get in.It was Mr.Peterkin's office-key; he had taken it by mistake, or he might have dropped the house-key in the cloak-room of the Carnival.
"Must we go back?" sighed Mrs.Peterkin, in an exhausted voice.
More than ever did Elizabeth Eliza regret that Agamemnon's invention in keys had failed to secure a patent!
It was impossible to get into the house, for Amanda had been allowed to go and spend the night with a friend, so there was no use in ringing, though the little boys had tried it.
