"Well, I don't want to see him,—not with my things all torn off and looking like this," said Flaxie, in deep discouragement.
She was nearly as anxious to leave the White House as she had been to enter it. But when and how could they ever get out?
"Ladies," said a gentleman who had left the crowd in disgust, and stood by the wall with his arms folded,—"ladies, if you are ill and want to go home, I can put you out of the window. Will you allow me?"
It sounded very funny, and Miss Pike laughed; but he was quite in earnest. "Would you like to have me put you out, madam? Here, mount this stool."
"Indeed, I would like it; but can you do it, sir?" asked Miss Pike. "I'm pretty heavy."
The polite gentleman answered by lifting her up by the shoulders, so that she found no trouble in climbing out of the low window, and alighting upon the piazza.
"Oh, thank you, sir," said she. "Now I will stand here, and help down the other lady and the children."
This was easily managed; and soon all the little party were safely drawing long breaths, and laughing in the pure air outside; and Miss Pike said, "Here we are at the back of the house, and if the servants should spy us they would take us for a set of tramps. But, Mrs. Gray, I don't care for that, I'm so very thankful to have got you and Kittyleen out alive."
They hastened down the steps of the back piazza, and got around to the front door, and into the gravel path, and thence to the street, as fast as possible.
When Doctor Papa came home to early dinner, his wife related the adventure.