But at last Dick was able to be wheeled down to the sands in Alick’s perambulator, and perhaps it was the joy of his recovery that turned Susie’s head, or perhaps she was tired of her long spell of goodness, but whatever the reason, she was particularly teasing and tiresome.  She did not like to see her mother sitting close to Dick, ready to wheel him home if he was tired; and she would not allow her to read in peace, but kept breaking in with silly questions and remarks.

“You never let me sit in your pocket,” she said at last crossly.

“My dear Susie”—­mother shut her book with a very faint sigh—­“there is not room for all of you on my lap.  I should have to nurse an arm or a leg at a time.”

“You could make room,” said Susie.

“She would be like the donkey that wanted to be a lap-dog, wouldn’t she, mother?” said Tom.  “It sat upon its master’s lap.”

Every one laughed, except Susie.

“Well, I’m not a donkey,” she said, “and I’m not a lap-dog; and, besides, you want to yourself.”

“No, I don’t,” said Tom stoutly.  “I hate to sit on any one’s lap; if you are so anxious you can sit on nurse’s.”

Susie’s eyes threatened to overflow.

“Oh, don’t cry, Susie,” said her mother, in alarm, “or I shall have to put up my umbrella.  Go and build a castle with Tom, and take Amy.  I trust her to you.  Nurse and I must get the babies home.”

Susie always rose to any demand made upon her, and was proud of being trusted.  She gathered Dick’s shells and seaweed and glittering stones skilfully into his pail, and was really helpful in rolling up the rugs and cushions.  She was so pleased to see his rather thin, unsteady legs gathering strength as they wobbled slowly over the sand.  When she put her arm round him, she was proud to feel that he really needed support.  At the foot of the wooden steps leading up the cliff his mother took him in her arms.  She was looking tired and pale, but she smiled very sweetly at Susie.

“My kind little daughter,” she said; and Susie beamed.

When she got back to Tom and Amy she found that they were not alone:  two other children, a boy and a girl, with bare feet and tucked-up skirts, were standing talking to them.

The boy had black eyes and black hair, and the girl was the image of him; her long, thin legs were like pipe stems, and she spoke in a loud, domineering voice.

“We have watched you all the week,” she said, “and we made up our minds to know you.  We thought we had better wait until your mother and nurse were out of sight, in case they forbid us to come.  Us two are twins.”

“Oh, they wouldn’t forbid you,” said Amy, with hasty politeness.

The boy smiled in a superior way.  “They might” he said.  “Nurses generally do.  We are not particularly good, and nurses are so narrow-minded.”

“We are reckless,” said the girl.  “Our names are Dot and Dash.”