Maggie Browne

“ The holiday fairies sat up in the tree and laughed.
When the bag began to come to pieces, and the bits of paper began to fall out, they laughed louder than ever.
But Lucy, who had spent most of her time watching the struggle, pushed her way into the middle of the group, and called out loudly:
“Stop, stop. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves.”
“We ought,” said Thirteen-fourteenths.
And the figures hung their heads, Minora covered her face with her hands, and the others stood still thinking. ”

“ The Fraction and Ellessdee ran out of the hall, hand in hand, and all the others followed.
There was nothing under the big stone, and after searching near it and round it they went sadly back to the hall.
“I don’t know what is to be done,” said Thirteen-fourteenths, sitting down in the desk and staring at all the little pieces of paper.
“It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good,” whispered Tare to Tret, “if they haven’t got copies of the sums, they can’t put them right; they will have to rest now.” ”

“ She had asked him to get it, and had told him what a troublesome, mischief-making book it was.
“Which way did he go when he left you?” asked Lucy.
“I don’t know,” said Minora, “I chased him a long way down the road leading to the tree, but when I tumbled I didn’t see which way he went. I shall have to find out, for I promised Queen Harmony to get the book.”
“Then you have been to the Queen,” said Thirteen-fourteenths. “How did you get on? What did she say? Where is Major C?”
“One question at a time,” said Minora.
“There’s someone coming,” cried Lucy, “I can hear the tramp of horses.” ”

“ A yawn from Half-term, a sigh from Thirteen-fourteenths, then three groans from each of them. Then they both rolled over and met face to face.
“Oh, it’s you,” said Half-term, “and you don’t seem quite chirpy.”
“You seem a bit depressed yourself,” said Thirteen-fourteenths.
“I’m sick of it,” said Half-term.
“So am I,” said Thirteen-fourteenths.
“I’m tired of painting all the time,” said Half-term.
“Not half as tired as I am of seeing those children paint all the time,” said Thirteen-fourteenths. ‘Not a girl, not a boy, will do anything but paint, paint, paint. ”

“ And the three fairies swung themselves down from the tree and hurried away.
“Where are they off to, this time?” said the Fraction. “They only mean mischief, let us all set to work to pick up the bits before the fairies come back.”
And all the figures, Lucy, Minora, and Miss Crimson Lake set to work with a will.
“I think,” said Half-term, sitting down, for once, “you are wasting your time. My charming sisters have gone to fetch a friend, who will do the work much better. Ah, I thought so. Here he comes. If you will take my advice, you will all lie flat on your faces.” ”

“ Why don’t you look for it yourself?” And, having managed to free his leg from the Fraction’s grasp, he began to climb the tree faster than ever.
“Who told you it was up a tree?” called Thirteen-fourteenths; but Ellessdee was far too busy to answer.
“They are looking for the lost piece of my jacket,” said the Fraction to Lucy; “isn’t it kind of them!”
“Can’t we help?” said Half-term, who was aching for something to do.
“What is it like?” asked Miss Crimson Lake. “It is white,” said Thirteen-fourteenths, “white like my jacket, and somebody has told the figures that it is up a tree.” ”

“ And they joined hands, and cheered heartily, then they clapped hands; and then they all jumped and ran, shouting and singing, down the path to the cross-roads, each to find his or her own way home.
As they disappeared through the wood there was a fluttering among the branches of the tree, and the White Owl flew down the trunk to her old quarters.
“Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!” she said, as she settled herself comfortably. ‘I shall have peace at last, the Book of Betty Barber is gone—gone—gone! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!” ”

“ Snip, if on your journey from Rhyme Land you have found any boxes similar to these?” and Thirteen-fourteenths took three or four out of his pocket.
“We have not seen any such boxes on our journey,” said Mr. Snip, “but doubtless there are many such in Nonsense Land. He is always dropping them about.”
“Who is always dropping them about?” asked the Fraction eagerly.
All the little Violets joined hands in a circle round the Fraction, and shouted as loudly as such small bits of things could shout:
“By the use of this ointment, one shilling a box. Allow me to sell you a couple.” ”

“ He looked at the paper in front of him.
“Where did this come from?” he demanded, turning to Repeater.
“Where did it come from?” shouted Repeater.
“It was copied from the book,” said Tare.
“The terrible, terrible book, which has made all the work,” said Tret.
“Were all the sums in it like this one?” said Thirteen-fourteenths.
“Mine are worse,” said Ellessdee. “There are pounds divided by pigs, and peas multiplied by shillings. I shall never get mine right.”
“And who did the sums in the book?” asked Thirteen-fourteenths. ”

“ He is always trying to find his way to the Land of Poetry; but he always, somehow, gets back to Nonsense Land.”
“Then I must be careful not to get into Nonsense Land,” said Lucy.
“Yes, you had better be very careful,” growled the Spider, who had finished his fine parlour. “I only wish I had a few more lines.”
“But the children,” said Lucy.
“Moo—moo—moo,” said a Cow, poking its nose over the gate.
“Thank you, pretty Cow,” said Mary. “Now, the pretty Cow manages quite well with only three verses. Lucy, you must cut something out.” ”

“ Snip to the Fraction, as they peeped through the hedge. “Lucy persuaded him to come.”
Anthony himself looked rather sad and depressed; he sighed, and said “Heigho!” But Rowley-Powley, Gammon, and Spinach were three of the liveliest imps you ever saw. Anthony Rowley bowed to the Grand Panjandrum, his three imps only set faces.
“Go on, tell all you know, and don’t ‘Heigho’ more than you can help,” whispered the Young Man.
“Heigho,” sighed Anthony Rowley. “Life is a tragedy, and I, poor, miserable creature that I am, know only too well the discomfort of uncongenial surroundings.” ”

“ Snip, “I will tell you all I know about Father William, an exceedingly curious person. But we must be moving on, or we shall be late, and it is most important that we should not be late. Excuse me, one moment.”
Mr. Snip clicked sharply three times, then calling, “On, on, we shall be too late to help Lucy,” made a sign to the Thimble, and once more the procession started.
“To help Lucy?” repeated Thirteen-fourteenths. Then he looked around him. “Then you are Lucy’s,” he said.
“Of course,” said Mr. Snip. “We are all Lucy’s, and we are off to Nonsense Land to try to help her out. ”

“ Lucy ran and peeped over Miss Crimson Lake’s shoulder.
“‘I shall let my children paint all day long,’” she read from the book.
Miss Crimson Lake was dimpling and smiling to herself. “What a bright, clever child!” she said. “How seldom one finds a child who really knows how beautiful I and my charming relatives are. ”

“ What shall we do? They will batter the house down!” cried the Major.
“They shan’t get inside,” said Minora.
“Oh, why did you ever bother about them?” wailed the Major. “Why did I ever think of altering my beautiful staircase? It’s all your fault, Minora.”
“We’d better get away as quickly as we can,” said Minora. “I’ll have another peep to see what is happening.”
“I won’t leave my house,” cried the Major, “they would destroy it.”
Minora peeped. Father Time’s men and boys had left the steps and were running up the road, talking and shouting, to meet the Sharps and Flats. ”

“ But Ellessdee did not seem to think so. He was gathering together the little pieces which he had torn up, and was trying to make them fit one another.
As he stooped a small box tumbled out of his jacket on to the floor, rolled to the Fraction’s desk, and stopped in front of his feet.
Thirteen-fourteenths picked it up.
“My box,” he said, “I must have knocked it down.”
“My box,” said Ellessdee, “I found it.” ”

“ Owl said something about Father William fetching a book,” said the Rook. “Lucy wanted the book, I fancy, but I didn’t much attend to that part of the story.”
“Then, perhaps Father William has taken it to Lucy in Nonsense Land,” said Thirteen-fourteenths, “does Father William live in Nonsense Land? Tell me about him, tell me about him, tell me quickly." And Thirteen-fourteenths could scarcely keep still he was so excited.
“Let me speak to them all one minute,” said Mr. Snip, “for we must be nearing Nonsense Land.”
“Friends,” he said, “remember we have come to help Lucy. ”

“ And said, ‘Stupid work, good-night, good-night.’”
Lucy stamped her foot. “Be quiet, Mary,” she said, “it is easy for you to laugh, you have only three verses.”
“And quite enough, too,” said Mary, walking through the gate, “quite as many as most children can get into their heads. I can’t think how you manage with six, and you’ve so many things to look after, too—foxgloves, violets, rooks, horses and oxen. Why, I find it takes me all my time to keep one lamb in order.”
“But I don’t get on,” said Lucy. “I don’t get on at all with the children. ”

“ And Miss Crimson Lake, looking as fresh as the freshest pink pink, and even pinker, came tripping down the path.
“Isn’t it grand?” she cried. “We are all happy again. Oh, there you are, you dear old Half-term. ”

“ He’s a clever chap! No wonder he can’t find the piece of his jacket. He’ll never be a whole number again.”
“Do you think we should have been working at these sums all this time if we had had the right questions?” demanded a boy whose black and white dress, covered with L’s and S’s and D’s, clearly showed he was the Ellessdee Thirteen-fourteenths had expected to find in the buildings.
“If we had had the right questions,” shouted a girl, “our backs and our heads wouldn’t be aching this minute.”
“Anybody can put wrong sums right if they have the right questions,” called several figures. ”

“ We are approaching Nonsense Land. We must move quietly with the greatest caution. We must not speak, we must not be seen. There are many who wish to keep Lucy in Nonsense Land, and they would drive us away if they knew we meant to try to help her.”
“Will you go into Nonsense Land?” asked the Fraction.
“Certainly not,” said Mr. Snip. “We must find some place and hide in Border Land. Silence, please,” he called.
And the procession moved along as quietly as a number of mice.
The Violets climbed into the basket, and hid in the roll of white needlework ”