“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 Dick, 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 Dick 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 Dick, 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 Dick.

“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 Dick stumbling laboriously after her.

“Susie”—­his shrill, faint voice pursued her—­“Susie, my shoes is wet; come back!”