(Just as the Poachers make ready to leave, the children are discovered.)
Clews: Well. I’ll be blow’ed, if ’ere aint the babes in the wood.
Allcock (rushing to cover): Wo’t, yer don’t mean the Game-keeper and his gang? W’y don’t yer duck?
Clews: (laughing heartily): ’Oo said onythin’ about game-keepers. Come an’ luk fer thy sel’—’ere are two as fine babbys as yer hever sot h’eyes on.
Allcock (drawing near to sleeping children): Blime me, if they haint. I wonder wot they’re doin’ ’ere at this time o’ noight?
Clews: I conna tell thi that, mon, w’y doesn’t thi ask ’em thi sel’?
Allcock (gently shaking Harold): Wake h’up, little mon, does ta want to catch thi death o’ cold lying out ’ere this cold night—and what about the little gel, wake ’er h’up tew.
(After some time and much rubbing of eyes, the children awaken.)
Harold: Please, Mr., can you tell us who lives in yonder house—Sis and I hope that is where Santa lives. If so, we must be going, or else Santa will have left.
Ethel: Yes, you know he will go just as soon as the clock strikes twelve, and we want to see his wonderful toys before he leaves.