“What I would suggest to you, madam,” said the Lord Chancellor, “is that in likening my head to an egg you didn’t mean an old-laid egg, or an addled egg, or a bad egg, or anything of that sort. If it is like an egg at all, it was a fresh egg you meant.”
“Oh, lawks, yes,” said Wooden’s aunt. “I’d never be one for insulting a gentleman. I know what’s due to myself and my family better.”
“Then that is quite enough for me,” said the Lord Chancellor, evidently greatly relieved. “Captain Cook, unarrest this lady completely.”
“And the Dutch doll, too,” said Peggy, pleased at having succeeded so well.
“And the Dutch doll, too, of course, Captain Cook,” said the Lord Chancellor. “And my advice to you, sir, is to make yourself scarce. You have had a narrow escape, and let it be a lesson to you.”
The Dutch doll, whose knees had been knocking together with fright, picked up the skirts of Mr. Noah’s second-best yellow robe, and ran away as fast as he could. He poked in between two of the wooden soldiers guarding the quay, and was lost in the crowd. But he was an honest doll, for the next morning Mr. Noah received back his second-best robe by parcel’s post, with a note of thanks, which he could not read, as it was written in double-Dutch.
The party was now ready to land and get into the royal carriage, but just as they had stepped off on to the red carpet on the quay, the Lord Chancellor’s eyes fell upon Lady Grace, whom he seemed not to have noticed before.
His face darkened, and he said, “Why, what is this? A wax doll at large, after the royal proclamation that all Waxes are to be imprisoned! Captain Cook, do your duty instantly.”
Captain Cook stepped forward to arrest Lady Grace, who shrank away from him, while Wooden and her mother and aunt began to protest volubly against such an outrage, for they were all friendly to Lady Grace, who had always treated them with perfect politeness.