potato-bugs all humped their backs and crawled back to bed again.
Now there must be an ambulance, and it was no use shouting for the express-wagon. He had been sound asleep again these two hours past. So they turned the Easter Chicken out of the wooden Engine and put Poor Cecco in that. His legs hung over the side; it wasn’t very comfortable, but it was the best they could manage. Harlequin was to be the doctor. He was the tallest and could look quite wise so long as he didn’t open his mouth, and there was no need for that. Tubby and Virginia May would be hospital nurses and wear a red cross on their arm. They arranged it all, walking on either side the Engine to keep Poor Cecco from falling out. It was almost as exciting as if they had found the treasure, and they had the added satisfaction of doing good to some one at the same time.
So they walked home, Anna pulling the engine, and Tubby and Virginia on either side, and whenever they met any one on the road they put their handkerchiefs to their eyes and said: “Poor Cecco has lost his tail!”
As for Poor Cecco, he got a ride home anyway, and when they reached the toy-cupboard they put him to bed in the dolls’ cradle and there he slept peacefully and Bulka sat by his side all night.
