Nobody noticed them till they reached Middle Street, a straight cobbled street with quaint houses on either side, when a ‘Granfer man’[9] spied them, and shouted the news that the long-lost children had come back, and the whole street rushed out to welcome them.
Thursday lived at the bottom of this street, and Betty thought she ought to see her safely home; but the child’s mother had already heard of their arrival, and came out to meet them and to clasp her own little maid to her heart.
Monday’s home was in a narrow street called Lanedwell, and when she was safe within her parents’ house and arms, the other five little maids and the handsome boy, accompanied by a great crowd, went on their way to the market, where Saturday lived.
As they came out of Lanedwell Street, a house across the market stood full in view. It was one of the quaintest of buildings, of Tudor date, with an outside flight of stone stairs leading up to its side entrance under the eaves. Little Saturday’s eyes glistened when she caught sight of this house, for it was her own dear home. Her father happened to be at the top of the stairs looking over the wooden rail as the children drew near, and he nearly fell over into the street below when he saw his own long-lost little maid.
Through a narrow passage, called the Blind Entry, the children and crowd of people poured, and they only got through when Saturday’s father was down the steps and over to the Entry to greet them.
‘There is the “George and the Dragon”!’ cried Thursday, pointing to an inn at the bottom of a street as they crossed the market.
‘Iss,’ said Betty, with a smile; ‘and St. George is still slaying the Dragon!’ gazing up at the sign hanging above the door.
‘Perhaps the Dragon is even more difficult to conquer than the Witch o’ the Well,’ put in the boy, eyeing with great interest the inn’s sign, on which was painted in glowing colours England’s patron saint, with uplifted sword to slay the Dragon.
‘Ever so much more, I reckon,’ responded Betty.
Another small street brought them to the quay, where the other four little maids’ homes were, as well as Betty’s, and to their exceeding joy they saw their fathers and mothers and all their relations and friends coming to meet them. And what a meeting it was, and what a welcome they had!