Part 14 (2/2)
”No, thank you,” answered Bunny, ”I hate books and I can't sew.”
”But you might learn, dear,” said her mother gently. ”It is a great pleasure to be able to sew, Bunny. I quite enjoy doing my piece of work after being obliged to lie on the sofa for such a long time.”
”I don't want to learn to sew,” cried Bunny. ”I want to have a game.
I am tired sitting here, mama. Oh, I do wish Mervyn and Frank would be quick and come back.”
”Well, my dear Bunny, they will soon be here,” said Miss Kerr. ”They promised to be back at three and it wants a quarter to three now, so you won't have very long to wait.”
”Oh! I'm so glad!” cried Bunny; ”I've spent such a nasty dull day without them.”
”Well, really now!” said her mother laughing; ”that's a kind thing to say. I thought my little girl liked being with me.”
”Oh! yes, mama, so I do,” answered Bunny quickly; ”but Mervyn has been away such a long time, and I do want him to come back and have a good game with me. He stayed to lunch with Frank up there at the hotel, and Miss Kerr wouldn't let me go, and oh, dear! I have been so lonely all day.”
”Poor little girl!” said her mother, ”but Miss Kerr was quite right not to let you go, Bunny; Frank will have quite enough to do to manage Mervyn. You are very hard to keep in order, for you are very wild and--”
”Oh! I'm not a bit wild now, mama; I'm as quiet as a lamb--I am indeed.”
”Bunny, Bunny, where are you, I say?--where are you?” called Mervyn, running up the garden walk and across the lawn.
”Here I am, Mervyn, and oh! I am so glad you have come back,” and the little girl rushed forward eagerly to meet her cousin. ”But where is Frank? I thought he was coming back with you.”
”Yes, so he is. He will be here in a minute; and he has something for you, Bunny.”
”Something for me, Mervyn; oh! what is it?” she cried; ”do tell me what it is.”
”He'll tell you himself--he'll tell you himself,” answered Mervyn, and going down on the gra.s.s, he tumbled heels over head two or three times in succession.
”You tiresome boy,” cried his cousin, ”do get up and tell me what Frank has for me, and where he got it, and--”
”Go and ask Frank himself--there he is,” shouted Mervyn, starting quickly to his feet again, as young Collins appeared suddenly at the top of the flight of steps that led from the drawing-room into the garden. His hands were both behind his back, and he laughed merrily when he saw Bunny's face of excitement and curiosity as she ran across the lawn to meet him.
”You dear good Frank, Mervyn says you have something for me,” she cried; ”do tell me what it is. I do so want to know.”
”A bird, Bunny; a young thrush,” said Frank gaily, as he drew a small cage from behind his back and held it up to the little girl.
”I put him in here because it was the only thing I could find; but I will get you a proper big cage for him to-morrow.”
”Oh! never mind the cage; but let me see the bird,” cried Bunny.
”He is rather frightened just now, Bun, but I think he will soon sit up and begin to sing; and thrushes do sing beautifully.”
”He is a dear little fellow! a perfect darling! But where did you get him, Frank?” asked Bunny in delight, as she danced joyfully round her new treasure. ”Did you manage to put salt on his tail?”
”He hasn't got a tail, Bunny,” answered Frank, laughing; ”he is so young that he hasn't got one yet. I caught him quite easily in the hotel garden.”
<script>