Sara wanted terribly to ask for a set of self-learning multiplication tables, but she knew Avrillia was right, and that her mother wouldn’t like it.  Besides, how could she ever get all that furniture home on the boat?

So she assured Avrillia that she was more than satisfied—­as, indeed, being a dear child, she was.  And then Avrillia nearly took her breath away by saying, “Well, then, we’ll go up and fit the dollies—­just for good measure.  I know a shop where the loveliest doll clothes may be bought for a trifle.”

And, would you believe it, that was the first time that Sara had remembered the Baby doll and the Kewpie!  However, one could tell from the Kewpie’s delighted smile that no harm had been done, so far as he was concerned; and the Baby, for a wonder, was asleep.

So Avrillia took them to the oddest little shop, the shape of a Dutch teapot, kept by a little old-lady doll who was delighted to show them everything.  They bought a complete wardrobe for the Kewpie, who had never had any clothes, and was charmed by the novelty of possessing them; but the Baby nearly spoiled everything by waking up and kicking and squalling and refusing to try on a thing!  “You’d better behave, you little rascal,” said Pirlaps, “it will be a long while before you’ll ever have another chance like this!” But the Baby only kicked the harder.  However, the little shop-keeper doll was very patient, and by measuring him between kicks they managed to fit him out with a very nice layette.  And then Avrillia insisted on buying all sorts of things for the dolls at home—­gorgeous oriental costumes for the Japanese doll, sailor-suits for the Billiken, and a handsome fur overcoat, of a conservative style and cut, for the Brown Teddy-Bear.

“Now,” said Pirlaps, “we’ll have luncheon—­it’s getting rather late—­and then I suppose Avrillia will have to call on her poor families.”

He led them to a little Chinese restaurant where a dumb-waiter with a pigtail noiselessly served them with very good things to eat—­though Avrillia said the prices were outrageous.  As they were dipping their eyelashes daintily in the finger-bowls, Pirlaps said,

“Well, Sara, shall we go with Avrillia, or would you rather stay here?”

“Oh, let’s go!” cried Sara.  She would have stayed anywhere with Pirlaps, but if there was more to see, she wanted to see it.

“Have you had the measles?” asked Pirlaps.

Sara had; she could not be mistaken about it.

“And the mumps?” Again Sara nodded, swallowing hard as she thought of lemons and vinegar.

“All right, come ahead,” said Pirlaps.  And they started off.

“But the Baby hasn’t!” suddenly remembered Sara.  “The Kewpie has, but the Baby hasn’t.”

“Then it will never do to take him,” said Pirlaps, decisively.  “Here, Yassuh, you stay here and keep the Baby.”