‘What is the matter, Lady Arabella?’ asked Santa Claus in his kindest voice. ‘Have you a pain? Are you hungry? What is the matter with you?’
‘I am homesick,’ sobbed Lady Arabella. ‘I am homesick and lonely too. I don’t want to go riding all aloney-loney-loney. I want Merrythought to go with me. I do, I do, I do!’
‘But you will not be alone,’ said Santa Claus in surprise. ‘There is a nice place for you beside Red Jumping Jack. Look and see! He will hold one hand and the White Polar Bear will hold the other. I am sure you will not be lonely if only you make up your mind not to cry.’
But Lady Arabella shook her head and danced up and down and cried louder than before.
‘No, no!’ cried Lady Arabella, shaking her elbows as if she would like to poke the Red Jumping Jack and the White Polar Bear. ‘I want Merrythought! I want Merrythought to go with me or else I won’t go at all.’
Here Lady Arabella threw herself on the ground and kicked with all her might and main. You could scarcely see her brown shoes and stockings, Lady Arabella kicked them to and fro so very fast.
A strange way, indeed, for Lady Arabella to act! It didn’t seem at all like a doll who had been made to live with a little Princess. Surely such a doll would be on her best behavior every moment of the time.
But you would have thought it still more strange if you could have seen Mischief hiding down behind the sleigh. All of the other Brownies were so sorry for Lady Arabella that they looked quite troubled; one or two of them looked quite shocked. But Mischief was not troubled at all. He almost seemed trying not to laugh. He was muttering to himself as well, and Silvertongue said afterward that he thought he heard him say, ‘Hurrah for you, Lady Arabella! That is a good tantrum. That is one of the best tantrums I have ever seen.’
Now Santa Claus was like the Brownies. He was troubled to see Lady Arabella so unhappy. It was growing late, too.