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The Little house
’Perhaps,’shesaid,thrilling,’PeterPanwillgiveyouasailinhisboat!’
’Ishallmakehim,’repliedTony;nowondershewasproudofhim.
Buttheyshouldnothavetalkedsoloudly,foronedaytheywereoverheardbyafairywhohadbeengatheringskeletonleaves,fromwhichthelittlepeopleweavetheirsummercurtains,andafterthatTonywasamarkedboy.Theyloosenedtherailsbeforehesatonthem,sothatdownhecameonthebackofhishead;theytrippedhimupbycatchinghisbootlace,andbribedtheduckstosinkhisboat.NearlyallthenastyaccidentsyoumeetwithintheGardensoccurbecausethefairieshavetakenanill-willtoyou,andsoitbehovesyoutobecarefulwhatyousayaboutthem.
Maimiewasoneofthekindwholiketofixadayfordoingthings,butTonywasnotthatkind,andwhensheaskedhimwhichdayhewastoremainbehindintheGardensafterLock-outhemerelyreplied,’Justsomeday’;hewasquitevagueaboutwhichdayexceptwhensheasked,’Willitbeto-day?’andthenhecouldalwayssayforcertainthatitwouldnotbeto-day.Soshesawthathewaswaitingforarealgoodchance.
ThisbringsustoanafternoonwhentheGardenswerewhitewithsnow,andtherewasiceontheRoundPond;notthickenoughtoskateon,butatleastyoucouldspoilitforto-morrowbyflingingstones,andmanybrightlittleboysandgirlsweredoingthat.
WhenTonyandhissisterarrivedtheywantedtogostraighttothepond,buttheirayahsaidtheymusttakeasharpwalkfirst,andasshesaidthissheglancedatthetime-boardtoseewhentheGardensclosedthatnight.Itreadhalf-pastfive.Poorayah!sheistheonewholaughscontinuouslybecausetherearesomanywhitechildrenintheworld,butshewasnottolaughmuchmorethatday.
