“They’re pretty good names,” said Tom.

“They fit us,” said the twins in a breath.

“Both of we were taken out of church last Sunday,” said Dot, in an explanatory way and with an air of pride.  “When the clergyman came from inside the railings, Dash forgot he was in church, and he jumped up and said quite loud, ‘Shut the gate.’”

“Whatever for?” said Tom.

“You see,” said Dash, with his air of modest pride, “I always spend the time thinking how many sheep I could pen into the pews, and how many cows I could get behind the railings.  I think it could be seventeen with a squash, but of course, if you left the gate open, the cows would get into the sheep pens; so, when I saw him go out and leave the bar up, I felt I must run and shut it, and I spoke out loud.  I didn’t really mean to, but father marched us out of church, and he wouldn’t let me explain.”

“I suppose you oughtn’t to have been thinking of cows and sheep in church,” said Amy, in her surprised little voice.

“Shut up, Miss Prig,” said Dash; and Amy was obediently silent.

“Shall we play together?” said the twins, with one voice.

“It would be jolly,” said Tom.—­“Wouldn’t it, Susie?”

“Well, you mustn’t tell your people,” they said, “but every morning after your babies go in we might have a jolly game.”

“Mother wouldn’t mind, would she, Susie?” said Amy.

“We don’t want your opinion,” said Tom loftily.

Amy blushed till the tears came.  “Would she?” she repeated desperately.

“There’s no harm in playing,” said Susie.

All her good resolutions were slipping away, and her voice grew excited.  Susie was always so carried away by the spirit of adventure, and she forgot so easily.  These sands, and the silver sea full of monsters!  The black rocks and seaweed—­no nurse to bother about wet stockings—­no babies who needed a good example!  Susie’s spirits rose.

“There wouldn’t be any harm,” she cried eagerly, “and we might have some jolly games.  We only wouldn’t tell mother, because it might worry her.”

“Mother can walk on the rocks,” cried Amy eagerly.

“I don’t believe it,” said Dash.  “I don’t believe an old woman like that can walk a bit—­not like we can.”

“Not as fast as us,” said Susie.—­“Don’t be tiresome, Amy; it isn’t mother who is tiresome—­it’s nurse.”

“Well, we’ll meet to-morrow,” said the twins, speaking together, as they generally did, at the top of rather squeaky voices.

They pulled Susie to one side.

“Don’t tell the other one,” they said, in hoarse whispers; “she’d go and tell.”

“She’s very young,” said Susie, in quick apology, as she ran off.

“Both of we has pails,” shouted the twins after her, “and we can bring cake.”

“We are not allowed curranty cake,” said Susie reluctantly.

“Bosh,” said the twins.  “Who’s to know?  We come of a very gouty family, and we may eat curranty cake.”