Page:The railway children (IA railwaychildren00nesb 1).pdf/97

 Phyllis and Peter met her at the back door. They were unnaturally clean and neat, and Phyllis had a blue bow in her hair. There was only just time for Bobbie to make herself tidy and tie up her hair with a red bow before a little bell rang.

"There!" said Phyllis, "that's to shew the surprise is ready. Now you wait till the bell rings again and then you may come into the dining room."

So Bobbie waited.

"Tinkle, tinkle," said the little bell, and Bobbie went into the dining room, feeling rather shy. Directly she opened the door she found herself as it seemed in a new world of light and flowers and singing. Mother and Peter and Phyllis were standing in a row at the end of the table. The shutters were shut and there were twelve candles on the table, one for each of Roberta's years. The table was covered with a sort of pattern of flowers, and at Roberta's place was a thick wreath of forget-me-nots and several most interesting little packages. And Mother and Phyllis and Peter were singing—to the first part of the tune of St. Patrick's day. Roberta knew that Mother had written the words on purpose for her birthday. It was a little way of Mother's on birthdays. It had begun on Bobbie's fourth birthday when Phyllis