Part 3

“Well, anyhow, George thinks it’s a lovely idea,” said Terry carelessly, “and you know what fun it will be putting it all back again.”

The thought of putting it all back again was too much for Anne Mary.

“Very well, darlings,” she said, “we’ll do it. Come along.”

So they counted it out. There were 112 table-cloths, 42 bath-towels, 73 small towels, 26 pairs of sheets, 229 pillow-cases, and more dusters than I can possibly put down here. And they all went to the laundry together. On the Saturday morning they all came back (except one duster) and Anne Mary, Terry and George put them in the cupboard as neat as neat, George being particularly helpful. And then they waited for their Mother.

She came at last. Anne Mary said that she was prettier than ever, and Mr. Dewpond said she had never looked so well, and Terry and George thought that she was even nicer to kiss than she had ever been before. For some time they all talked together about everything, and you could see that Mrs. Dewpond couldn’t help thinking of her linen-cupboard now and then, but she didn’t say anything; and Terry and George kept whispering to each other, “Won’t she be surprised when she sees?”--and sometimes George said to Anne Mary, “How surprised do you think she’ll be?” At last she got up, saying, “Well, I think I’ll just--” and they knew where she was going, and they all went with her. She threw open the chest, and of course she knew at once what had happened. She just clasped her hands and cried, “My darlings, but how they are ravishing!” And then they all four hugged each other.

Later on, when he saw the bill, Mr. Dewpond clasped his hands and cried, too.

CASTLES BY THE SEA

This is a story about Belinda, and, as it is the last, I think I shall tell it you in poetry. Belinda is the one in mauve, and I could have written much better poetry if she had been in brown or blue, but Mothers never think of things like this when they dress their children. However, she has a little red on her cap, which may be useful. We shall see.

_First Verse_

Belinda Brown was six or so, Belinda had a grown-up spade, Belinda Brown was six, and oh! The castle that Belinda made!

That’s the first verse; and now, if anybody asks you what her name was, you can answer at once “Belinda, because it says so in one of the lines.”

_Second Verse_

Belinda Brown was six or so, Although she looked a little more, But she was only six, and oh! The bonny cap Belinda wore!

Now you can tell everybody Belinda’s age. Six. With a good poem like this one doesn’t want to be in a hurry.

_Third Verse_

Belinda’s cap was mauve and red-- A pity that it wasn’t blue-- But it was red and mauve instead, And very pretty colors, too.

I think I shall go straight on to the next verse without saying anything about that one.

_Fourth Verse_

(_This is going to be a good one_)

Belinda had a bathing-gown Which had been brown a week before; The envy of her native town The bathing-gown Belinda wore!

I like that verse. Besides being good poetry, it explains everything. You see, Belinda’s Aunt Rotunda had given her the beautiful cap, and when Belinda went to dig castles in the sand, she decided to wear the cap to keep the sun off her head, but to wear the bathing-dress, too, so as not to mind if she got wet, which was her own idea and none of the other children had thought of it. So her Mother said, “Then we’d better dye the dress mauve,” to which her Father replied, “Wouldn’t it be easier to dye the cap brown?” And Belinda’s Mother said, “I think, dear, it might hurt Aunt Rotunda’s feelings.” So--

Belinda wore Her bathing-gown (A brilliant brown The week before). The local store Had toned it down, The bathing-gown Belinda wore.

I think it looks nicer spread out like that. I will tell you a secret now. When people pay you to write poetry for them (as they often do), they pay you so much for every line you write, so sometimes you feel that a verse looks nice spread out, and sometimes the man who is paying you feels that it doesn’t. It’s just a matter of taste.

_Fifth Verse_

(_I’m not counting the last one, because it’s a different shape from the others_)

Belinda Brown was not afraid, (Belinda was as brave as three) And in the castle she had made She waited for the rising sea. Belinda was as brave as 3, Belinda was as brave as 8; She waited calmly while the sea Came in at a tremendous rate.

And now we are coming to the sad part of the story. There was Belinda, as you see her in the picture, not a bit afraid, and suddenly--

_Seventh Verse_

A monster wave came rolling on, It washed Belinda’s castle down, And in a moment they were gone-- The castle _and_ Belinda Brown.

But where was Belinda? That was what all the other children said. And when Mr. and Mrs. Brown came down to the beach they began saying it, too: “Where _is_ Belinda?” Nobody knew. However, it was all right.

_Eighth Verse_

They found her later on the hill A mile or so above the town, A little out of breath, but still _Undoubtedly_ Belinda Brown.

You can imagine how excited they all were. All but Belinda. They came rushing up to her, saying, “Oh, Belinda, are you hurt?” and, “Are you _sure_ you’re all right, Belinda darling?” and some of the more polite ones, who had never seen her before, said, “I trust that you have not injured yourself in any way, Miss Brown?” And what did Belinda say?

_Last Verse_

Belinda tossed a scornful head-- Belinda was as brave as brave-- Belinda laughed at them and said, “Oh, wasn’t that a _lovely_ wave?”