Troublesome Comforts Part 6

"It's called _weep_, my dear," said nurse, "when it's done by kings and queens."

"Well, I should weep," said Amy. "And I make my wills quite differently to Susie. I made a will this morning when it rained. You know you said you were going to give me a paint-box on my birthday, nursie! Well, if I live till my birthday, I'm going to leave it back to you in my will."

"You needn't trouble, Miss Amy," said nurse, "because if you don't live till your birthday I can keep it."

"But that wouldn't be my _will_," said Amy, puzzled.

"But it would be your wish, my dear, which comes to the same thing."

"Well, mine would be my will, but it wouldn't be my wish," said Susie.

"It would be history, and things in history are never so bad as things that happen to yourself."

"But it _would_ happen to yourself if it was _your_ legs and arms you gave away," said Amy.

"And I dare say it was just as bad to have your head cut off a hundred years ago as it would be to-day," said nurse--"I mean for the people themselves."

"Do you think," said Susie, "that the Jews and people who had their teeth pulled out by the king for fun felt it just as much as we do when we go to the dentist?"

"_For fun!_" said d.i.c.k, in a horrified voice.

"Did they have gas?" said Amy.

"Gas!" said Susie, with a superior smile. "How silly you are, Amy! They had no gas then--only candles, or perhaps lamps. And I don't see how they could pull out teeth with lamps; do you?"

"No," said Amy, in a small, mortified voice.

"I daresay," nurse went on, as if there had been no interruption, "that it would have been easier for Miss Susie to have been brave in a history book than if the trial came to her here."

"I don't see why," argued Susie.

"Well, we are made so," said nurse. "Other people's trials are a deal easier to bear than our own. Now you've been good children to-day, and I'll make a surprise for tea as a reward. I'm going to leave you Master d.i.c.k for an hour, Miss Susie; and you'll look after him well, and when I wave you'll bring him in. Don't sit down any longer, but have a bit of play on the sand; it's getting chilly, and it looks like more rain."

"All right," said Susie.

She was filled with light-hearted joy, and nurse's praise warmed her heart; nurse so seldom praised her. She helped Alick's wilful legs to the foot of the steps and watched him out of sight.

"I am so very glad I have made up my mind to be good," she said to herself; "it is _perfectly easy_ if you make up your mind. I wish the twins would come and want me to leave d.i.c.k, or go on the rocks, or do something naughty. I would just stand here and look at them with my large innocent eyes and my gentle smile, and I would say, '_Never_, twins!

Nurse has trusted him to me, and I have turned over a new leaf. I would not touch the rocks with my bare feet, not for a king's ransom.'"

"Susie," cried d.i.c.k.

"Yes," said Susie impatiently.

"Come here, Susie," he said again--"quick, I'm so wet!"

"Oh, bother," said Susie.

She turned slowly, still inspired by her own eloquence; and there, straight before her, as if they had walked out of the sunset, stood the twins, with black hair waving, and bare, wet legs.

"Come on!" they shouted breathlessly. "It's a perfectly heavenly afternoon for the rocks, but it's awfully late; you've kept us waiting an hour whilst your nurse simply _clacked_."

"All right," said Susie.

It was really all wrong, but she had forgotten her promises, her resolutions, her boasted courage. At the first demand of the enemy she laid down her weapons and surrendered the fort, and in another moment she too was flying bare-footed over the rocks, with d.i.c.k stumbling laboriously after her.

"Susie"--his shrill, faint voice pursued her--"Susie, my shoes is wet; come back!"

"Come on," cried Susie.

"My feet is tired. Susie, _it's d.i.c.k_."

But Susie was far ahead.

"Susie!" he called again.

Wet and miserable, he sat stolidly down upon a rock.

"If Susie leaves me I shall _weep_," he said out loud.

CHAPTER VIII.

It was growing dusk, and the line of gold upon the sea had merged into the gray twilight around. A drizzling rain fell like a veil between Susie and the sh.o.r.e, and suddenly she remembered that for some time she had not heard d.i.c.k's pleading voice. Instantly all the excitement and pleasure of the stolen hour fell away from her, and with a frightened pang at her heart she began a frantic search over the slippery rocks, flying in heedless haste and shouting as she ran.

Her terror and tears impressed even the twins, though they were a little inclined to mock. They too rushed and splashed from rock to rock, making difficult and dangerous leaps that only bare toes made possible. The pools between the rocks were full of water, and there was no yellow reflection now from the wind-tossed sky. Susie felt despairing; but suddenly, almost at her feet, she heard d.i.c.k's uncomplaining little voice, "It's _me_, Susie. I knew you would come back; I am so glad. My toe has got hurt, and I have sitted here till all my clothes has got wet."

"How tiresome he is!" said Dot impatiently. "What a tiresome, silly little boy! That's always the way with babies; they spoil all your fun."

"I'm not a baby," said d.i.c.k defiantly.

"Well, you're very like one. Every one will know now, and a jolly row you've got us into."

"I'll tell you what," said Dash, in a hissing whisper into Susie's ear.

"Let's run back to the sh.o.r.e, and then they'll think he went alone."

"Come on, Susie, or we shall be drenched," said Dot. "When once we've got on our shoes and stockings we can easily rush out and rescue him. Look at the white horses, and the waves against the island. We are really a good way out, but we could rescue him in two minutes, and your mother would be _grateful_ to us."

But Susie was not listening. The twins' suggestions beat on her brain, and found no entrance. All the best of Susie--the real, comfortable Susie--br.i.m.m.i.n.g over with a love that was almost motherly, was in the kind, quivering face she bent over d.i.c.k as he held out his tired arms.

In a minute she was down beside him, stroking and folding him close, till his sobbing breaths were stifled on her shoulder.

"Oh, do come on, Susie!" said the twins; "we can't stay another minute.

If you won't leave him you'll be caught, and you will never be allowed to play with us again."

Susie looked up, bewildered, into the twins' anxious faces. What did it matter if she were caught, or blamed, or punished? The idea of leaving d.i.c.k, even to make a sensational rescue, never entered her head for a minute. _Leave him_, frightened and alone, out on the dark rocks! As she had herself said, such a little while ago, "not for a king's ransom." She only wanted the twins to go and leave her in peace, and so she told them with that plainness of speech which to Susie seemed to suit the occasion.