'I love you, Panty; I love you--and you, and you, and you,' cried
the Lamb.

It was a delicious moment. Even the boys thumped their baby
brother joyously on the back.

Then Anthea glanced at mother--and mother's face was a pale
sea-green colour, and she was staring at the Lamb as if she thought
he had gone mad. And, indeed, that was exactly what she did think.

'My Lamb, my precious! Come to mother,' she cried, and jumped up
and ran to the baby.

She was so quick that the invisible children had to leap back, or
she would have felt them; and to feel what you can't see is the
worst sort of ghost-feeling. Mother picked up the Lamb and hurried
away from the pinewood.

'Let's go home,' said Jane, after a miserable silence. 'It feels
just exactly as if mother didn't love us.'

But they couldn't bear to go home till they had seen mother meet
another lady, and knew that she was safe. You cannot leave your
mother to go green in the face in a distant pinewood, far from all
human aid, and then go home on your wishing carpet as though
nothing had happened.

When mother seemed safe the children returned to the carpet, and
said 'Home'--and home they went.