Part 42 (2/2)

Alison puckered her brows, and remained undefeated.

”P'raps Adam sat on it,” she suggested.

”I cannot imagine Adam being broody,” said Mrs. Hunt.

”Well, anyhow, he hatched out Eve!” said Geoffrey. No one ventured to combat this statement, and the children formed themselves into a stretcher party, bearing the Ark and its contents upon a tray in the direction of the bathroom.

”Aren't they darlings?” Norah said, laughing. ”Look at that Michael!”

Michael was toddling behind the stretcher-party as fast as his fat legs would permit, uttering short and sharp shrieks of anguish lest he should be forgotten. Geoffrey gave the order, ”Halt!” and the Ark and its bearers came to a standstill.

”Come along, kid,” said the commanding officer. ”You can be the band.” The procession was re-formed with Michael in the lead, tooting proudly on an imaginary bugle. They disappeared within the house.

”They are growing so big and strong,” said Mrs. Hunt thankfully.

”Michael can't wear any of the things that fitted Geoff at his age; as for Alison, nothing seems to fit her for more than a month or two; then she gracefully bursts out of her garments! As for Geoff----!

But he is getting really too independent: he went off by himself to the village yesterday, and I found him playing football behind one of the cottages with a lot of small boys.”

”Oh--did you?” Norah said, looking a little worried. ”We heard just before I came over this morning that there is a case of fever in the village--some travelling tinker-people seem to have brought it. Dad said I must tell you we had better not let the children go down there for the present.”

”There were some gipsy-looking boys among the crowd that Geoff was playing with,” Mrs. Hunt said anxiously. ”I do hope he hasn't run any risk. He is wearing the same clothes, too--I'll take them off him, and have them washed.” She gathered up her sewing hurriedly. ”But I think Geoff is strong enough now to resist any germ.”

”Oh, of course he is,” Norah answered. ”Still, it doesn't do any harm to take precautions. I'll come and help you, Mrs. Hunt.”

Geoffrey, congenially employed as a submarine commander about to torpedo the Ark, was distinctly annoyed at being reduced to a mere small boy, and an unclad one at that.

”I don't see why you want to undress me in the middle of the morning,”

he said, wriggling out of his blue jersey. ”And it isn't was.h.i.+ng-day, either, and Alison and Michael'll go and sink the Ark without me if you don't hurry.”

”I won't let them, Geoff,” Norah rea.s.sured him. ”I'm an airs.h.i.+p commander cruising round over the submarine, and she doesn't dare to show so much as the tip of her periscope. Of course, when her captain comes back, he'll know what to do!”

”Rather!” said the Captain, wriggling this time in ecstasy. ”I'll just put up my anti-aircraft gun and blow the old airs.h.i.+p to smithereens.”

Alison uttered a howl.

”_Won't_ have Norah made into smivvereens!”

”Don't you worry darling, I'll dodge,” said Norah.

”Michael, what are you doing with Mrs. Noah?”

”Not want my dear 'ickle Mrs. Noah dwowned,” said Michael, concealing the lady yet more securely in his tiny pocket. ”She good. Michael _loves_ her.”

”Oh, rubbish, Michael! put her back in the Ark,” said Geoffrey wrathfully. ”However can we have a proper submarining if you go and collar half the things?”

”Never collared nuffig,” said Michael, unmoved. ”Only tooked my dear 'ickle Mrs. Noah.”

”Never mind Geoff--he's only a small boy,” Mrs. Hunt said.

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