Molly stood silent. She could hardly realize that it was true. After a while she became aware of a curious stillness in the garden; the Pumpkin's friends had quietly crept away.
Molly looked down at the Pumpkins in front of her, vaguely disappointed. She had somehow had a feeling that Jack would be restored to her directly she had found the Black Leaf. The two Grey Pumpkins at her feet looked each exactly the same as the other--she could not tell which was the real Grey Pumpkin herself. This, then, was the Pumpkin's object in turning Jack into a likeness of himself; this was his last revenge. Poor Molly, she had been looking forward eagerly to seeing Jack again; there was so much good news to share with him; and so, in her moment of triumph, Molly's eyes were full of tears.
"I can't understand it," she thought. "I expected he would change back when I touched him with the Black Leaf.... I must take them both back to Old Nancy; she'll know what to do."
Then, with a pang of remorse, she remembered Miss Lydia.
[Illustration: QUICK AS THOUGHT, SHE STRUCK ONE OF OLD NANCY'S MATCHES]
"Follow me," said Molly to the Pumpkins, and they obeyed her. It was strange that both of them obeyed the holder of the Black Leaf, but they did, following about a couple of yards behind her.
At the door of the cottage she found Miss Lydia lying on the ground, her face white and her eyes closed. Molly called her by name, but she did not answer. It was growing a little lighter now, as the moon was beginning to appear. Molly groped her way into the house and fetched some water, and knelt and bathed Miss Lydia's forehead, calling her gently from time to time. It was a curious scene in the dim garden. Molly on her knees beside Miss Lydia, the Black Leaf tucked into the strap of her satchel, while on each side of the doorway, like sentinels, were two motionless Grey Pumpkins.
At length Miss Lydia stirred, and gradually recovered. Presently she opened her eyes, then gave a glad cry.
"Oh, I can see! I can see!" she said. "Oh, my dear!" And she cried a little, then began to laugh.
Molly told her quickly what had happened, and Miss Lydia was overjoyed at beholding the Black Leaf in Molly's hand, and the Pumpkin waiting for commands, though she was grieved and puzzled that Molly's brother had not yet been restored. She, herself, could not remember anything after she had come outside into the garden.