Troublesome Comforts | Page 8

harm in playing," said Susie.
All her good resolutions were slipping away, and her voice grew
excited. Susie was always so carried away by the spirit of adventure,
and she forgot so easily. These sands, and the silver sea full of
monsters! The black rocks and seaweed--no nurse to bother about wet
stockings--no babies who needed a good example! Susie's spirits rose.
"There wouldn't be any harm," she cried eagerly, "and we might have
some jolly games. We only wouldn't tell mother, because it might
worry her."
"Mother can walk on the rocks," cried Amy eagerly.
"I don't believe it," said Dash. "I don't believe an old woman like that
can walk a bit--not like we can."
"Not as fast as us," said Susie.--"Don't be tiresome, Amy; it isn't mother
who is tiresome--it's nurse."
"Well, we'll meet to-morrow," said the twins, speaking together, as they
generally did, at the top of rather squeaky voices.
They pulled Susie to one side.
"Don't tell the other one," they said, in hoarse whispers; "she'd go and
tell."

"She's very young," said Susie, in quick apology, as she ran off.
"Both of we has pails," shouted the twins after her, "and we can bring
cake."
"We are not allowed curranty cake," said Susie reluctantly.
"Bosh," said the twins. "Who's to know? We come of a very gouty
family, and we may eat curranty cake."
"I dare say a little piece wouldn't matter," said Susie.
"O Susie," said Amy, as she plodded breathlessly over the sand to the
steps, "she called mother an old woman!"
"Well?" said Susie.
"She is the most young and the most beautiful lady I have ever seen,"
said Amy, with flushed cheeks.
"Yes, of course," said Susie.
"They seemed rather rude," said Amy.
"It isn't being rude, it's being reckless. Didn't you hear them say so?"
"Aren't they the same, Susie?"
"Not at all," said Susie, with her nose in the air. "It's older to be
reckless; it's much easier to be rude. But you mustn't tell, Amy."
"O Susie, I'll try not," said Amy; "but when mother asks me I don't
know what to do."
"Well, you can hold your tongue," said Susie sharply.
CHAPTER VI.
Susie felt a little excited next morning when she remembered the twins,

and all the time she was digging moats and piling up sand castles she
had one eye fixed on the active figures of her new friends, who, with
bare legs and shrill voices, attracted a good deal of attention. Once she
tried timidly to "draw" nurse on the subject, but nurse was not
responsive.
"Those are rather splendid children," she said wistfully.
"Where?" said nurse, lifting a calculating eye from the heel of the
stocking she was knitting, and looking vaguely round the horizon.
"There--on the rock," said Susie eagerly. "Tom and I want to go on the
rocks so much, and those children could help us; they are so very--so
very reckless."
"So very rude," said nurse dispassionately.
The very words Amy had used. The angry blood flew into Susie's face.
"I don't know what you mean by rude," she said obstinately. "It's very
dull sitting here and making castles with babies; and Tom and I want to
go on the rocks."
"Well, your mamma will take you some day, when she feels better,"
said nurse. "She's had a wearing time since she came. No doubt it's a
trial to see other children, with no decent nurse to look after them,
running wild and shouting like wild Indians; but I have my duty to you
and your mamma, and you must just bear it as best you can. You
should take example by Miss Amy and be contented, and be glad to
think you have Master Dick back with you again."
"Mother always makes a fuss about Dick," said Susie.
"Well," said nurse, rising with difficulty and shaking the sand from her
dress, "I'm going to take the little ones in, Miss Amy and all. She can
play with Master Dick whilst I get baby to sleep. Perhaps you will help
me, Miss Susie?"

Of course Susie would help; her face lightened at the thought! All the
jealous lines disappeared as if by magic. Alick's little hands felt like
rose leaves on her face. She forgot the twins, forgot to be cross, as she
folded her arms tightly round him. She had half a mind to go in with
them and have a nice nursery game; but when she hesitated and looked
back, she saw Tom waving impatiently, and it was difficult to say no.
She handed Alick to nurse, and stood staring after him as he leant his
round red face over her shoulder and waved his chubby hands. When
they all disappeared on to the parade at the top of the