“Yeth,” agreed the tousled ragamuffin who was Violet Elizabeth, sweetly, “ith me.”
“Well, we’re going to find you an’ take you back.”
“Oh, pleath, I don’t want to be found and tooken back. I like being with you.”
“Well, we can’t keep you about with us all day, can we?” argued William sternly. “You’ve gotter go home sometime same as we’ve gotter go home sometime. Well, we jolly well want our dinner now and we’re jolly well going home an’ we’re jolly well goin’ to take you home. He might give us something and——”
“All right,” agreed Violet Elizabeth holding up her face, “if you’ll all kith me I’ll be found an’ tooken back.”
******
The four of them stood again before Mr. Bott’s desk. William and Ginger and Douglas took a step back and Violet Elizabeth took a step forward.
“We’ve found her,” said William.
“Where?” said Mr. Bott looking round.
“Ith me,” piped Violet Elizabeth.