With the robot behind them, they raced down the hill, splashed through the stream, broke through a circle of giggling Sugar Plum natives and goggle-eyed creatures.
"Don't give up!" croaked Charles. "We're coming!"
On the grass were four figures. Two were thrashing around and being sat on. Two were doing the sitting.
The Buttons braked to a stop. Something was radically wrong. The larger of the two thrashing figures was being sat on by Cousin Aurelia!
"Try to kidnap me, will you?" Slap. "Make me throw myself into that pool!" Slap. "And swallow a gallon of water and have to drag myself out!" Slap-slap-slap. "You will, will you?"
"Ow!" cried the figure. "Leg-go!"
Aurelia looked over her shoulder. She spied Charles and Betty.
"Hey!" she shouted. "Bear a hand here with Possett!"
"You don't have to hold him," called Captain Burgee, dismounting from Loopy the mate. "He can't get away. Sugar Plum's got him."
They both rose and the two writhing figures continued to writhe.