Page:The book of Betty Barber (IA bookofbettybarbe00andr).pdf/29

 “Never,” said the Major.

“Won’t you get on with the book?” said Lucy.

The fairies opened the book, looked inside, and dropped it to the ground with a scream, as if they were hurt.

“What’s the matter?” said Miss Crimson Lake.

“Sums,” said Christmas.

“Arithmetic,” said Easter.

“Take it away, take it away,” said Summer.

“There are some sums, I know,” said Miss Crimson Lake, rising from her seat and picking up the book, “but you need not look at them. Try the other end of the book.”

But it needed some persuasion to get any of the fairies to touch the book again.

However, after a little time Christmas was induced to hold it in her hands, and Easter and Summer peeped at it cautiously.

“This is the Book of Betty Barber,” read Christmas.

Then they all began to smile, then to laugh quietly, then to shout with laughter, and then all three tumbled to the ground and rolled over and over.

“Precisely,” said the Major, “they consider the book absurd.”

“Not a bit of it,” shouted Christmas, “it wasn’t the book at all. I was thinking how awfully funny you looked playing at Mulberry Bush round the tree.”

“And I was beginning to think,” said Easter, “only Summer tickled me.”

“You tickled me,” said Summer.

“You both tickled me,” said Christmas. The Major rose from the ground.

“It seems to me,” he said, “that we are exceedingly unlikely”

“All right, we beg pardon,” said Christmas.

“We do,” said Summer and Easter.

The Major sat down again very slowly.

“Let us all stand up,” said Christmas, “perhaps we shall geton better if we stand.” 13