Page:The book of Betty Barber (IA bookofbettybarbe00andr).pdf/98

 They all listened. Through the wood the voice could be heard distinctly, “Thirteen-fourteenths is wanted! Thirteen-fourteenths is wanted.”

“It is Repeater,” said the Fraction, “and he is coming this way. I knew he would come, he never stops running.”

“You are wanted at home, Thirteen-fourteenths.”

They could hear the words before they could see the boy.

“I must go,” said Thirteen-fourteenths. “Good-bye.”

“But he isn’t here yet,” said Half-term.

“He won’t stay when he gets here,” said the Fraction, “he never stops. Good-bye. Work hard, all of you. I will work hard, too. I will find the book. But where is the round box I did find?”

“Thirteen-fourteenths!” The voice sounded much nearer.

“Here is the box,” said Minora. “Look at it, Half-term. Do you see what it says outside?”

“One shilling a box,” read Half-term.

“Give it to me,” said the Fraction. “Here he comes.”

But Christmas caught the box as Half-term threw it to the Fraction.

“What is inside, I wonder?” she said, and she took off the lid.

“Christmas, give me the box,” said the Fraction.

Repeater was hastening down the path.

“Thirteen-fourteenths, you are wanted at home,” he called, “there is trouble, trouble, trouble at home.”

“Say 1 am coming,” said the Fraction, “coming at once.”

And the boy took up the new call, and ran past them all through the wood, shouting, “Thirteen-fourteenths is coming, coming at once.”

“My box,” said Thirteen-fourteenths.

But the fairies had recovered their spirits. They began to play a game of catch with the box, Christmas throwing it to Easter, Easter to Summer.

Poor Thirteen-fourteenths ran from one to the other.

78