"Where has it gone to?" was the cry of them all. They looked everywhere
for it, but did not find it. They shouted in chorus, "Come back, fairy
slipper, come back!" but no slipper came, and they were forced to go
home to their pretty houses without having found it, much to the regret
of little Teresa, who was near crying with vexation at having lost the
sparkling plaything.
They were all tired by when they reached their homes, and some of the
younger ones were very cross also, for their little legs were tired from
chasing the slipper, and they began crying for their mammas, so that the
poor Nomen had work enough to get them all to bed and soothe them to
sleep.
Now I cannot tell you whether these little folks would have continued
happy and contented on Child Island, and never have wished to leave it
for any other place, if they had had their mothers and fathers with
them. But not having them, there was something wanting, and by the end
of three weeks, or thereabouts, they were all heartily tired of being
away from home. Yet how to get back there was a difficulty that not even
wise Master Alphonse could solve. They had no boat to take them from the
island, and even if they had had one they would not have known how to
manage it, nor in which direction to guide it, as they were quite
ignorant of the whereabouts of Noviland.
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