How they had got hold of the swans at all was a wonder, but Jack's white suit was covered with green slime and soaked with water.
"I'm Snow White," called out Bumps, "but these thtupid thwans won't go prop'ly!"
Miss Falkner said very little, but what she said had the effect of bringing Jack to his senses.
"Well," she said; "you have shortened your happy day by this! What a pity! You evidently were tired of the party. We will go straight back to the school-room and stay there for the rest of the day."
In two minutes she had liberated the unhappy swans and was marching Jack and Bumps—one on each side of her—back to the house. The little girls watched them, half in amusement half in pity.
"That's what I say," said Rose, one of the twins, "a governess spoils every bit of fun!"
"Miss Falkner doesn't," said Jill loyally, "but Jack does sometimes go too far. He nearly hung Bumps the other day. He was pretending to do it, but he got the rope too tight round her neck. She was a Royalist and he was Oliver Cromwell. We had had it in our lesson that day. He said he really felt she was his enemy, and he would have to get rid of her! Miss Falkner was very angry. She is very quiet when she is angry, but she's very nice. I love her!"
Then with a quick change of thought, Jill said—