A Book for Kids | Page 7

That will just show you how very miserable he was.
It was quite late next morning when the Blue-gum awoke. He stretched
his big limbs, and began to wonder what he might say to comfort the
Little Red House. But when the Blue-gum looked down, he saw that
the Little Red House was smiling all over his face.
"Well, now!" cried the big Blue-gum cheerfully. "That's the kind of
face I like to see in the morning! So you've decided to be sensible and
forget your loneliness?"
But the Little Red House didn't say a word. He just went on smiling.
Then the big Blue-gum began to get uneasy.
"I do hope your troubles haven't turned you silly," he said. "You
haven't lost your senses, have you?"
"I?" cried the Little Red House. "Why, look down the valley! See who's
coming!"
Down, far down, the valley, just coming through the white gate, were
two figures that looked like tiny specks. And much nearer was another
speck, which was certainly a little dog.
"It's them--I mean those are they!" shouted the Little Red House
happily. "Sym and Emily Ann! And here comes our little dog."
"Well, you certainly have sharp eyes," replied the Blue-gum. "But I
suppose I'm getting old--over a hundred years, you know."

The two figures were through the white gate now, and had crossed the
red road out on to the stony flat--getting bigger and bigger as they came;
and the smile on the Little Red House seemed to grow broader and
broader. On they came, under the tree-ferns, up by the big rocks, past
the sign-post. And now the Little Red House could hear Sym singing
his Tinker's song.
But it was not quite the same song this time:
"Kettles and pans! Ho, kettles and pans!
Where's there a home like
the tinkering man's?
Weary of wandering, home is the place--
The
Little Red House with the smile on his face--
Weary and hungry, my
Emily Ann.
Then put on the kettle! Ho, put on the pan!"
"Now THAT is the sort of song I DO like," said the Little Red House,
as he watched them coming up the mountain.
On they came, growing bigger and bigger--through the sliprails, across
the potato paddock, over the bridge, round by the bracken-patch, past
the black stump, through the gate, and here they were, right at the front
door.
"Oh, I AM glad to b home again," cried Emily Ann. "And do look at
the Little House. He seems to be smiling."
"Of course he is smiling," answered Sym; "but he has a very dirty
face."
"The storm did that," said Emily Ann. "Now hurry and get the fire
alight, and I'll put the kettle on." And they went inside laughing and
singing, while the little dog flew round the house, barking for dear life,
and pretending he was very busy seeing everything was in order.
"Now I suppose you're happy," said the big Blue-gum to the Little Red
House.
"Happy?" cried the Little House. "Of course I am. Why, I'm a home
again!" But suddenly he remembered that his own happiness had made

him forget all about his old friend's troubles; and he tried his best to
look serious, as he said: "But what about YOU? Are the white-ants still
troubling you?"
"Ah!" replied the Blue-gum. "Don't let that worry you. Yesterday I had
a talk with the doctor--Doctor Tree-creeper, you know--a very clever
little bird he is, and he knows all about white-ants. He examined me
thoroughly all over. He says that they have hardly got under my skin
yet, and he will have them all out in a couple of days. So THAT'S all
right."
"Well, I am glad," shouted the Little Red House. "Now we are ALL
happy!"
Then Sym got the fire started, and the smoke curled up, and the Little
House had his gay blue feather once again. Sym began to sing his
Tinker's Song louder than ever, and Emily Ann, who was getting the
meal ready, joined in and sang too. Very soon the kettle also began to
sing, and, when the pan heard that HE began to sing. Then Doctor
Tree-creeper arrived to attend to the white-ants, and, as he walked
round the trunk of the big Blue-gum, tapping it just like a doctor, HE
began to sing. And two Kookaburras, who were sitting on the fence,
were so tickled with it all, that they laughed and laughed till they made
everyone else laugh with them.
"This is quite like old times," laughed the big Blue-gum. "Are you
contented now?"
"Am i contented?" cried the Little Red House. "Am I contented? Well,
what would you think?"
And then--well, most ordinary grown-up folk would tell you that just
then Emily Ann drew down one of the front blinds. But all