That's about what they think YOU are!' 'And what about dinner ?' said Robert, abruptly.
'There won't be any dinner, with no cook and no pudding-basin,' Anthea reminded him; 'but there's always bread-and-butter.' 'Let's get home,' said Cyril.
The Lamb was furiously unwishful to be dressed in his warm clothes again, but Anthea and Jane managed it, by force disguised as coaxing, and he never once whooping-coughed.
Then every one put on its own warm things and took its place on the carpet.
A sound of uncouth singing still came from beyond the trees where the copper-coloured natives were crooning songs of admiration and respect to their white-crowned queen.

Then Anthea said 'Home,' just as duchesses and other people do to their coachmen, and the intelligent carpet in one whirling moment laid itself down in its proper place on the nursery floor.

And at that very moment Eliza opened the door and said-- 'Cook's gone! I can't find her anywhere, and there's no dinner ready.
She hasn't taken her box nor yet her outdoor things.

She just ran out to see the time, I shouldn't wonder--the kitchen clock never did give her satisfaction--and she's got run over or fell down in a fit as likely as not.

You'll have to put up with the cold bacon for your dinners; and what on earth you've got your outdoor things on for I don't know.
And then I'll slip out and see if they know anything about her at the police-station.' But nobody ever knew anything about the cook any more, except the children, and, later, one other person.
Mother was so upset at losing the cook, and so anxious about her, that Anthea felt most miserable, as though she had done something very wrong indeed.