liked her;and if I could open Ralph's eyes, and get him to see that she is not abit nice really; why--that would be something worth living for."
"I don't know how you are to manage it," said Jane; "and I think," sheadded, "even if you could do it, it would be a very horrid thing to do."
"Oh! what a goody you are turning into!" was Harriet's response. "Well,I am going to put my wits in soak; I generally think out a way when Ihave pondered it long enough. Oh, trust me, Janie; and all I want fromyou is this--"
"What?" asked Janie.
"Your help when the time comes."
"Oh, dear!" said Jane. "That means something wicked!"
"You have a nice opinion of me, Jane."
"But it does, doesn't it?" said Jane. "I cannot tell you how mean Ifelt when I had to praise you all day long that day when I was Ralph'sschool-mother. I got positively sick of the feeling: I don't want tohave to do that again."
"You won't," said Harriet. "It will be something quite different now.But there's the tea-bell, and I am hungry. I am so thankful that weneed not stand any longer in that yard looking at those hideous donkeys.Let us run to the house; let's see who'll be there first!"
The tea was quite as delightful as healthy appetites and cheerful facesround the board, and merry laughter and gay young voices could make it.Mr Durrant himself was present at the tea-table, but he did notpreside. It was Robina who on this occasion was given the position oftea-maker.
"I am going to be fed and petted and fussed over," said Mr Durrant. "Isay, you eight little mothers, you have got to mother me a bit; you havegot to keep my plate well supplied. I have a ravening wolf inside me,and he must be well fed. I am good for any amount of cakes, and jam,and bread and butter; so see you feed me. Don't keep me waiting aninstant when my plate gets empty; and I am a whale on tea, I can tellyou; cup after cup I shall want. The little mothers must keep me goingwith fresh cups of tea. Yes, Robina shall preside to-day--she is thegood school-mother--and Harriet to-morrow, and so on, and so on. Nowthen, let us fall into place. Ralph, my son, take the lead; you are thegentleman of the house on this occasion."
Book 2--CHAPTER SIX.
AN EVENTFUL MORNING.
The tea came to an end without any special adventure and afterwards thechildren disported themselves to their hearts' content in the gardens.
The gardens were very extensive. There were paddocks and lawns, andrunning streams where some of the little mothers declared they could seetiny minnows and other minute fish darting about; and there was a roundpond with water-lilies on it and there were many swings, and hammocks inthe trees. Besides these delights, there were walled-in fruit gardens,and great glass-houses inside which grew those rarest and mostfascinating flowers, orchids.
The children were allowed to explore all the houses on condition thatthey picked nothing and invariably shut the doors behind them. They allhad a great deal to see and to talk over, and even Harriet forgot herjealousy and laughed and joked with the others. Bed-time came all toosoon. Eight sleepy little girls went up to their different rooms andlaid their heads on their pillow's, and fell sound asleep, and eightvery happy little girls, thoroughly refreshed and full of joyfulanticipation, awoke on the following morning.
They awoke to the fact that the sun was shining, that the sky was blue,and that the sea in the distance was one dazzling blaze of sparklingwaves and exquisite colour.
At breakfast-time, Mr Durrant arranged that the entire party shouldride down to the beach, where those who wished could bathe, and thosewho did not could play on the sands until it was time for early dinner.Dinner was to be at one o'clock, and this was to be followed by a longdrive, which was to terminate in a vast picnic tea, where real tea wasto be made, and cakes, bread and butter and other things consumed. Theparty were to return to Sunshine Lodge rather late, and then Mr Durrantwould amuse them with a marvellous magic lantern which he possessed, andwould show them, as he expressed it, some of his adventures in SouthAfrica.
"Father doesn't often do that sort of thing," whispered Ralph to hisschool-mother Robina. "He doesn't even like to talk 'bout his'ventures, 'cept when he's special pleased. So you're all in good luck,I can tell you."
"Oh, we are just too happy for anything!" said Robina.
"Now then, children," called Mr Durrant's voice from the other end ofthe table; "if you have had sufficient breakfast, will you disperse,please, and shall we all meet in the porch in a quarter of an hour? Ourdifferent steeds will be waiting for us, and we can each mount and rideaway."
It was at this moment that Jane cast a fearful, half-admiring,half-beseeching glance at Harriet. Now but for this glance of Jane's itis quite possible that Harriet might have thought better of herconversation of the previous day, and might have even mounted on herdonkey's back and ridden off, a happy, laughing child to the sea-shore.Harriet adored the sea, having been brought up there when quite a littlechild. She could bathe; and swim like a little fish; and it did dartthrough her mind how very superior she would be to her companions whenshe was swimming about and they had to content themselves with simplyducking up and down in the water. Mr Durrant would be sure to admireher when he saw what a good swimmer she was. Harriet craved more foradmiration than for anything else in the world. But now that look ofJane's recalled her to her remark of the previous evening.
She had vowed that nothing would induce her to mount a donkey. At anysacrifice, therefore, she must keep her word. If Jane thought little ofher, the world would indeed be coming to an end.
Accordingly, she sat very still, munching her bread and butter slowly,and looking straight before her. Robina, on the other hand, was ingreat excitement. She talked openly and, as Harriet said to herself, inthe most abominable taste, of the delicious ride she would have onBo-peep's back to the sea-shore.
"You will ride with me on Bluefeather; won't you, Ralph?" she said tothe little boy.
"In course I will!" he said.
In his white drill sailor-suit Ralph made the most lovely littlepicture. Harriet looked up at that moment, and caught his eye. Ralph,quick to perceive when anyone was in trouble, immediately left Robina,and flew to Harriet's side.
"What can I do for you, naughty school-mother?" he said.
"Look here, Ralph; I won't be called by that name," said Harriet. "Idislike it very much. If you think me naughty, you ought not to speakto me."
"Oh--I--I love you!" said Ralph.
"Then show it in some less unpleasant way," said Harriet, who now thatshe had given tongue to some of her grievance, flew in a regularpassion; "and," she added, rising as she spoke, "I don't know what therest of you mean to do, but I shan't ride this morning. I don't likeriding donkeys, so that's all about it." She got up and marched fromthe room. Mr Durrant had already gone. The eyes of the rest of theschool-mothers followed her, and Jane's face grew first white and thenpink.
"Oh Jane," said Robina, the minute Harriet had gone, "what _is_ thematter now? I am sure I don't mind riding one of the donkeys andHarriet can have Bo-peep. Do run after her and tell her so; do, please,Jane. It'll spoil all our fun if she doesn't come down; please get herto come."
"But," said Ralph, "I know father will want you to ride Bo-peep, Robina;for he said so last night. He said he had not seen you yet on Bo-peep,and he was ever so anxious to, and 'sides--your habit wouldn't fitHarriet: Harriet is much thinner than you."
"Yes; I never thought of that," replied Robina. "Well, I do wish shewouldn't be so troublesome. Shall I go and find her, and try and bringher round to a proper sense of things; it is too hard that she shouldspoil all the fun."
"No, don't; there is no use in it," said Jane.
"But I will," said Robina; "she must not be so inconsiderate. Thinkwhat dear Mr Durrant will say. Ralph, my darling, come with me andcoax poor Harriet. You know she loves you very much."
"Yes; let's coax her," said Ralph.
He took Robina's hand and they left the dining-room. As they were goingupstairs Ralph said, st
ill clinging hard to Robina's hand:
"I love Harriet, but I love you much, much, _much_ the best."
"Love us both," said Robina, "and don't say which of us you love best."
"Oh, I can't help it," said Ralph. "Harriet's nice sometimes, but youare nice always, and I am very glad you have got Bo-peep."
"Well, we must do our very best to make Harriet come with us to-day,"said Robina, and she knocked as she spoke at that young lady's door.
A sulky voice