Chapter VIII: The Little Rescuers

"Come on, you little duffer! You're only picking rubbish. We want to get to the wild strawberries!"

"I'm tarred, and moss isn't rubbish! I fink I shall put it round my Chris'mas tree."

Chris, Diana and Noel were taking a walk together. It was the following Saturday, and Mrs. Inglefield, who encouraged independence in Chris, assented gladly when he told her that the baker had told him of a field which contained wild strawberries and that they would all like to go and get them. Chris had never seen a wild strawberry in his life, but he imagined them to be pretty much like those he had seen in the London shops. It was rather a long walk for Noel, and he soon began to lag behind and stop to look in the hedges for spoils. Chris felt impatient; it was a hot afternoon in June, and the country lane was dusty and breathless. No friendly trees shaded them from the glaring sun. Diana trudged along with a smiling face. She was generally wrapt in dreams when she was out of doors, but Noel's plaintive voice roused her.

"Take my hand," she said; "I'll help you along. It isn't much farther now. It's that high field over there by the side of the wood, isn't it, Chris?"

"Yes, that's it. We can sit down when we get there and eat."

"But we must bring some back for Mother."

"I'm raining!" announced Noel; "raining quite fast like I did in India!"

Diana laughed.

"You do say such things!" she said. "Take your handkerchief out and wipe your face. We're all hot."

The lane along which they were walking was very narrow and winding. It was a by-lane, and by the grassy ruts in it showed that it was not much used.

As they rounded a corner they suddenly came upon a motor turned nearly upside down in a hedge, and by the side of it a lady sat reclining against a bank. She did not see them till they were right up to her, for her eyes were shut, and she was groaning in an unhappy sort of way.

The children stood still, and then, doffing his cap, Chris stepped up to her.

"Are you hurt, please? Can we help you?"

The lady started and looked up. Then she put her hand up to her head and pulled her hat straight. She had a very cheerful-looking face and seemed about the age of their mother.

"Thank goodness someone has come by at last! I thought in this benighted country that no one would come to my help! Of course you can help me, little boy, by fetching men from somewhere to right my car and put it into the middle of the road again. If I hadn't smashed or sprained my ankle, I could have walked back to the village and sent someone to bring it along."

"I'll go at once," Chris said cheerfully. "There must be some policemen about, and they'll see to everything."

The lady went into peals of laughter.

"Hark at him! A little Londoner, eh? The police may rescue people in distress in London, but they don't exist in the country, my boy. There's a single one here and there, but my experience is that never by any chance do they turn up when one wants them. You must think of someone better than a policeman. Get to the nearest farm. They'll send some men along."

"There's that farm we passed a little time ago," said Diana. "Run back there, Chris, and ask them to come."

"Of course they may be out in the fields working," said the lady; "but get someone—anyone—quickly, if you can! I seem to have been here hours, and have shouted myself hoarse."

Noel stepped up in front of her when Chris had run off. His eyes were big with thought and anxiety.

"The best person who can help in a naxident is God," he remarked, looking at her gravely; "I fink He's the Person to be asked to send the men you want. For He knows just where they are."

Then the lady threw back her head and laughed more heartily than she had done before.

"Oh, you delicious child!" she said. "I'm sure from your face and curls you must be a cherub just flown down from heaven. Now, aren't you? Confess you are."

"I don't know what a cherub is," said Noel, looking at her stolidly, "but I haven't been in heaven since I was a baby."

"Please excuse him," interrupted Diana. "He's always talking like that. We can't get him to be quiet about God."

She said the last word in a whisper.

"But," said the lady, "I shouldn't wonder if he were right. Could you ask God to help us, as you seem to know Him better than the rest of us?"

She turned to Noel as she spoke, and in a moment he was on his knees in the dusty lane.

"Please, God, send somebody very quickly to help this poor lady. For Jesus' sake. Amen."

Then he got up.

"That's all right," he said calmly. "God always hears when anyone wants help. Mums has told us so."

He looked a little defiantly at Diana as he spoke, for he knew she was thoroughly disapproving of him.

But Diana did not heed him. She had seen the lady make a wry face and clasp her foot with her hand.

"Can I bind my handkerchief round it?" she asked. "Or get some water to bathe it with?"

"You are a little dear to think of such a thing, but I can't get my shoe off, it hurts too much; and I was due to lunch with Lady Alice at two o'clock. It's past three now. What will she think? Do you know where her house is? I took a wrong turn, thinking I would make a short cut, and then ran myself into the hedge in this twisty, twirly lane! It's only the third time I've been out alone with my car. I suppose I was careless."

"I know where Lady Alice lives. Mums has been to tea with her and has shown us the house. It's over there. We can just see its chimneys."

"Well, now, that's splendid! May I send you off there to tell them where I am? They'll send their car for me. And leave the cherub to take care of me."

"I think I can go across the fields," said Diana, peeping over the hedge.

This was an adventure after her own heart. She found a gate into the field and sped away.

Noel heaved a sigh, then suddenly plumped down on the bank beside the stranger.

"I'm so tarred," he said; "we've walked miles. We were going to pick strawberries."

"Were you? How delightful! I hope the strawberries will wait for you. Talk away. Tell me who you are and all about yourself. It will cheer me up."

Noel began at once.

"I've comed from India. The other children haven't been there since they were babies. Mums likes us all alike, but I know her bester than the others, 'cause I've always, always been with her. And I've got a Chris'mas tree. I planted it myself. I'm very fond of him, and I talk to him a lot. He's rather sad now because the flowers are so pretty and he isn't pretty, and he doesn't smell like the roses. But by and by, when Chris'mas comes, he'll be beautiful, grand, and beautiful! And the flowers will be dead and buried. He's really much better than they are, because he lives longer. Chris and Dinah won't laugh at him when he's dressed with beautiful lights and presents, and when he's in the middle of the room and all of us dancing round him. I tell him about it when he feels a little unhappy. And he nods his head and unnerstands."

"I'm most awfully interested," said the lady as Noel came to a pause. "Go on. Tell me more."

Noel drew a long breath, and then he sprang to his feet. "Here's a man in a cart, and I believe it is God's man, and he's got here first of all."

Sure enough, a farm cart was coming round the corner, and the man who was driving got down at once when he saw there had been an accident.

"You'm best get in my cart, mum, and I'll drive 'ee to the Hall," he said when matters had been explained to him. "'Tisn't a one man's job to get that car out o' ditch."

The lady looked at the rough dirty cart which had been used for carting manure, and she smiled very sweetly:

"I think I'll wait, thank you. I've sent a little messenger to the Hall, and they'll be sending a car for me."

The man rubbed the back of his head and looked first at her and then at the car.

"Seems as if I be no use to ye."

"But you must be," Noel said, staring at him, "because God sent you. I asked Him to. Oh, do give a pull to the car and I'll help you."

The man laughed at the tiny boy's offer. The car was a very small one, but he set his shoulder to it, and after much vigorous effort he actually got it righted.

Noel clapped his hands in triumph, and danced round him excitedly:

"I knew you'd do it!"

The lady was very pleased. She presented the man with two half-crowns out of her purse, and then she tried to raise herself to her feet.

"If I could once get in!" she sighed. "But I'm afraid it is of no use. I shouldn't be able to manage the car with no feet, and it is my right one that is hurt. I am not a clever enough driver to do without it."

"Here's Chris coming with some other men," shouted Noel, "but we've done it without them!"

"I think I shall be very glad of their help to bring my car along after me," said the lady, who seemed willing to employ all who came up.

Chris seemed almost disappointed when he saw the car standing on its four wheels in the lane.

"I've brought Mr. Down and Mr. Gates," he said importantly. "They were working in the field and they came at once."

"But God's man got here first," said Noel.

For a moment there was silence; the men stared at each other, and then the lady had a brilliant idea.

"Take one of the cushions out of the car, or perhaps the thick rug would answer as well, two of you catch hold of each end, and I can then be carried off to the Hall, where they are expecting me to lunch."

This was immediately done. She waved her hand to the little boys from her improvised seat.

"Good-bye; you will have to come and see me. I have taken a house for the summer about four miles off, and I am ever so grateful for your help."

She seemed to have forgotten about Diana, and Chris asked Noel where she was.

"She's gone to Lady Alice's. I don't believe she'll ever come back; let's go on and get the strawberries."

After a little hesitation, Chris agreed to this.

"I like that lady," Noel announced as they went on their way. "She laughs so when she talks. And she liked me to talk to her. I told her all about my Chris'mas tree, and she said it was very interessing!"

"I bet she did!" Chris said with an unbelieving laugh.

Here Noel made a rush forwards. They had reached the top of the field, and there was some red amongst the grass along a bank there.

But when Chris reached the spot he was bitterly disappointed.

"They're so tiny, they're not proper strawberries!"

"They taste nice and sweet," said Noel, putting some of the little strawberries into his mouth. "Let's pick a lot of them."

They set to work. There were really a fine number on the bank, and Chris began to wish Diana was with them.

"She's so quick," he said. "She'd pick a lot in no time."

But Diana did not come. There was no sign of her. And by the time they had nearly filled their basket, Chris said they must go home.

On their way back, they passed the place where the accident had happened.

The car was gone, but Noel's quick eyes spied something in the hedge. He pounced upon it at once. It proved to be a small leather purse attached to a little gold chain.

"What shall we do with it, Chris?"

"Take it to her," cried Chris, joyfully pouncing upon it and putting it in his pocket. "Come on, Noel, hurry up! The Hall is ever so far off, but it will be fun going there. I shouldn't wonder if they haven't kept Dinah to tea."

"I found it," said Noel sulkily. "It's mine, it isn't yours."

"What does it matter who found it, you stupid! Why, you're beginning to cry! What a baby! I'll give it to you to give to her when we get there. Come on! What a slow coach you are!"

Noel struggled to keep up with his brother's quick pace, but at last he gave up, and again dissolved into tears.

"I'm tarred. I've walked ever so many miles. I wiss I was home!"

"Then you go home, and I'll go on to the Hall."

"It isn't fair. I found it, and I like that lady. She smiled at me!"

Poor Noel was divided between his longing to go on and the desire to rest his poor little legs. The afternoon had been very warm, and he was tired out. By the time they came to the signpost at the cross-roads which marked the way to the Hall, he had made up his mind to go home.

"We might take it to her to-morrow," he suggested.

"Oh, she must have it at once!" Chris said. "It has money in it. I can hear it jingle. You always give up money at once. Besides, she may be wanting to use it. You go on back to Mums and give her the strawberries, and tell her all about it."

Noel brightened up. To give his mother anything was always a treat, and he dearly liked telling her of any adventure that befell him.

So the little boys parted, and Noel reached home at last. His mother met him at the door.

"Why, my darling, how warm you are!"

"And I'm tarred and firsty," said Noel, "and I'm raining all over me—"

"Where are the others? Come into the dining-room and I will get you a glass of lemonade."

"Here are the strawberries, such tinies! But they taste very nice, Mums. Dinah and Chris have both gone off about a lady who's at Lady Alice's—"

Then he poured into his mother's ears the events of the afternoon. When he had drunk the lemonade and had had his hands and face washed, and was seated in his mother's lap in her boudoir, he began to feel better.

And then he suddenly put his arms round his mother's neck and hugged her.

"I do feel sorry for the poor little boys who can't get on their mothers' laps," he said.

"Ah!" said his mother with a sigh and a smile. "I'm afraid my children will soon get beyond their mother's lap."

"I never shall," said Noel determinedly. "Not when I'm a grown-up big man—"

"You're my baby-man now," said Mrs. Inglefield, laughing. "And I should like to keep you so."

It was not very long afterwards that Chris and Diana came home together. Diana had her story to tell first.

"I thought I should never get to Lady Alice's, it seemed such a long way, and when I knocked at the big door I felt quite frightened. I told the butler about the accident, and he took me into such a beautiful big drawing-room, and there were a lot of people there, and Lady Alice came up and kissed me, for she said she knew who I was, and then she ordered out her car at once, but the chauffeur couldn't be found, he had gone home to dinner, and so it all took time, and Lady Alice gave me a real ice and some cake, and then said I had better go in the car, and she sent her maid as well, and we were coming through the village and had got to the narrow lane when we met two men carrying the lady on a cushion, and so she was put very carefully in, and it hurt her and she gave a little scream, and then she said I must come back with her and tell her all about ourselves, for she wanted to be amused."

"But she wouldn't go to Lady Alice's; she said she must get straight home because of her foot. And she lives in such a pretty little house, Mums, and she has a dear old aunt who lives with her and is very small, not much taller than I am, but so pretty, and she made such a fuss when she heard about her foot. And she's called Constance—the old lady called her Connie, and then one of the servants was sent for a doctor, and old Miss Trent, that's the aunt's name, began to bathe the foot and bandage it, and she let me help, and Miss Constance laughed most of the time, though she called out too, and she said such funny things; she made up a rhyme about herself, about taking out her car, and roaming afar, and having a spill, and then being ill, and it ended up with:"

"'Having contracted a sprain,
I won't drive again;
I'll lie on my sofa
And become a poor loafer.'"

"And then she said she must have visitors to amuse her, and she wants Noel to go to her on Monday."

Diana paused for breath. Noel clapped his hands, and cried out with delight.

"Well now, I'll tell the rest," said Chris. "I went off to the Hall, but when I got to the lodge the woman told me that Lady Alice had sent her car to take the lady home, and I asked where it was, and the woman told me it was called Ladywell Cottage, and was two miles off. I was pretty well done, but as it happened a baker's cart was going that way, and he took me up. It was fun driving along with him! I think bakers' men must have a jolly time of it! And then I went up and knocked at the door, and the doctor had just arrived, but the lady would see me and thanked me for the purse, and I told her that Noel had picked it up, but couldn't walk so far, so that's why she wants to see him next Monday. And then the doctor said he would drive Dinah and me back, for he was going to see Ted at the Rectory and it was all in his way. So we had a jolly drive back in the doctor's car, and here we are!"

"I think you've had a lot of adventures," said his mother, smiling, "but I am sorry for that poor girl's accident. I met her at the Hall the other day. She has come into this part to spend the summer here. Her name is Constance Trent. She lives with her brother, who is a Harley Street doctor, and is a cousin of Lady Alice's. I don't know how Noel will get to her, it is three miles from here."

"She said if her car was all right, she would send it for him. I wish she had asked us all," said Diana. "I liked her, she's such fun!"

Then the nursery bell rang for tea, and Mrs. Inglefield took the strawberries and put them upon a big plate and covered them with white sugar, and said she must have nursery tea with them so that she could enjoy the strawberries as well as they.

Nurse produced some cream, and the children thought they had never tasted any fruit more delicious.

"It was worth getting hot and tired for," said Diana, "especially as it helped us to rescue a lady in distress. I shall write my next story about it, only I shall make her a princess in disguise."