Amy Le Feuvre

“ In another moment he had dragged his small niece round where he could see her.
Dreamikins was always a pretty sight. To-day her golden curls, her fair dainty face with its big blue eyes and long-curled black lashes, her graceful little figure in its dainty white muslin hat and frock, and her white socks and shoes, seemed in his eyes to shine with extra glory.
"You're just in time," Fibo said gravely, "to save your Uncle Fibo from turning into a growling grizzly bear."
"I'm never just too late, are I?" said Dreamikins, dancing up and down before him in ecstasy. ”

“ Do you know what you'll be doing if you take me and give me a bed to-night? You'll be doing what Jesus said we must do if we love Him; you'll be feeding a stranger—that's me—instead of Him, but He counts it just the same, and He'll make you into His sheep and put you on His Right Hand in heaven. ”

“ Dreamikins danced away.
"If you're rude to him, God will send you a horrid dream to-night, and you'll wake up and long for a angel to be close to you, and he won't be!"
When she was gone, Freda said:
"If you don't believe Dreamikins, and all she says, it will be no fun at all, Edmund. Even Miss Fletcher never contradicts her. She's different to anybody we've ever seen. And it seems all true to her, so perhaps it is."
"It's rubbish," said Edmund firmly.
"But grown-up people believe in guardian angels," said Daffy. "Let us ask Nurse."
"Nurse," said Freda, "do people have guardian angels?" ”

“ Daffy gave a little chuckle.
"That's Nurse's favourite saying, 'When I see fit!' She's much more proud than kings and queens are."
"Yes," Freda went on; "so, you see, Nurse has brought us down here, and Purling, and Cook, and a few of the others have come too. Mr. Fibo, what is a 'purse-proud rich'?"
"A rich person who is proud of the money in his purse." ”

“ To be good is to please God."
"Oh, Fibo dear," said Dreamikins, shaking her head at him, "nobody could be good like God, except Jesus, could they?"
"Jesus Christ was God; He came into our world to show us how to be good. If we try to be like Him, we shall be good."
"But, Fibo, isn't all that we have been doing any use?" asked Freda.
"Of course it is. But to be obedient to Nurse, and unselfish and kind to each other, is quite as important."
"Daffy and me feel we'd like to please God, but we don't care about pleasing Nurse—not always," said Freda. ”

“ Dufty retorted:
"The precious things in this world always are."
And that reduced Fibo to silence; but he much enjoyed his glass of milk.
"I wish I could run about," said Dreamikins, with a wistful droop to her mouth. "I should love to see your cows, and baby cows, and pigs and chickens; and they have little turkeys, Fibo. Mr. Dufty told me so! I wish I could have a little turkey to play with Whiskers! I'm sure they'd just love each other."
"And then you would have to kill it and eat it for your Christmas dinner," said Fibo; "turkeys only live for that." ”

“ Then Freda stood with scarlet cheeks and downcast eyes, and the bag itself was lifted up by her vexed mother.
"My little girls are always hatching mischief, not eggs," she said, with a forced laugh. "What in the world does this bag of food mean, Freda, and why should you try to hide it?"
"Never mind," said Lady Aline cheerfully, kissing the hot soft little cheeks, and becoming conscious that Freda's blue eyes were filling with tears. "You were in the middle of a lovely game when we disturbed you. I want you to come over and spend a day with me soon. I am having little Emmeline Broughton over. ”

“ She looked round the garden as if she loved it.
"I don't forget the old days, Gus. How happy I was, and how torn in two I was when I had to leave you!"
"I shall always live with Fibo when I'm growed up," said Dreamikins. "I shan't leave him like you did."
"Oh yes, you will, when a man walks in who means to be your husband. And if I had stayed with your uncle, there would have been no Dreamikins in the world, for God only sent you to me after I had left him." ”

“ Then she went on smilingly:
"He won't let nothing hurt me, because he'll be stronger than Cherubine, and he'll make me like to be good, Fibo. Cherubine tried to make me good, but I never liked it, never!"
"Dreamikins," said Fibo gravely, "there's only One Person Who can make you really good. No angel can." ”

“ When Nurse had left them in bed, Freda said:
"I left out 'make me a good girl' in my prayers to-night, because I mean to be wicked—just for once. It's always Nurse makes us wicked, because she tries to keep us from having fun."
"Fibo would say that was a mean excuse," said Daffy, wriggling in her bed.
They both were conscious that they were behaving badly when they crept out of their beds in dressing-gowns and slippers, and went along the passage towards Edmund's room. Nurse and Jane were downstairs. The long passage was only dimly lighted at one end. Edmund was ready. ”

“ The prison chaplain is a friend of mine, and I'll write to him and ask him if he could smuggle us in one day. I doubt if he can do it—but still there's a chance; only he will say there are too many of us."
"No, no," cried Dreamikins; "we'll squeeze in behind, very small. I couldn't possibly be dis'pointed, and Freda and Daffy couldn't. You see, we all are working so hard, and we can all go in the pony-carriage. Oh, Fibo dear, it will be lovally!" ”

“ I could listen all night."
"Yes," said Dreamikins proudly; "Fibo has got a big bump in his head, he says, which is bigger than other people's, and a little fairy lives inside it who whispers these stories to him. Sometimes she goes to sleep, and he can't wake her, and then he says he can't make up stories by himself, which is a pity."
"Dreamikins is exhausting in her demands," said Fibo. "The more she hears the more she wants to hear. My poor tongue aches with its constant wagging."
When seven o'clock came, and Jane appeared, Freda gave a groan. ”

“ So do Freda and me, since we saw 'Peter Pan' in London, and I used to before when I was quite a baby. Nurse doesn't. She doesn't believe in any of the nice things, only in doses of medicines, and punishment, and bringing us up like 'little ladies' and 'good Christians.' I hate ladies and Freda hates good Christians, so Nurse and we argify about them."
"Oh, but I believe—heart and soul—in good Christians," said Fibo, leaning his head back and looking at Daffy with a kind smile; "what I don't believe in, are bad ones!"
"But I 'spect your good Christians are nicer than Nurse's. ”

“ Daffy said afterwards, when Miss Fletcher had gone away:
"She's rather like Nurse. Grown-up people always make everything so dull and stupid. But Freda and I mean to go on seeing Mrs. Bone. She loves us, and it's real fun going to visit her."
"And I'm going to see an old man," said Dreamikins—"our milkman's father. He's bedridden; that's what they call it; and our milkman says he's very lonely, and Fibo says I can, so I'll go this afternoon, and then we'll all be equal!" ”

“ Freda and Daffy had to go home, but Dreamikins said hopefully:
"Fibo will do it. He's a wunnerful man."
"Yes," said Freda; "and we feel God is on our side, and we'll ask Him in our prayers to-night to help that chaplain to say 'Yes.'"
"Oh, I shan't wait till to-night! I'll ask God now," said Dreamikins. She astonished Freda and Daffy by suddenly falling down on the grass in the garden, and putting her hands over her face, and her face on the ground. Freda and Daffy watched her in silence. She jumped up in about two minutes.
"I've done it."
"We never say our prayers in the daytime," said Daffy. ”

“ Fibo looked at his niece with a funny little smile, then he said suddenly:
"Perhaps you could do one or two of the things now, without waiting till you turn into wiseheads."
"Oh, do tell us," cried Freda and Daffy together.
"I think you could go and visit somebody sick. Mrs. Daw was telling me to-day of a dear old body who is in bed with very bad rheumatism. She used to be our laundress. She lives quite alone, and would be cheered up if you went to see her."
Dreamikins clapped her hands; but Freda and Daffy looked unhappy.
"Nurse wouldn't let us. She never will let us do a single nice thing." ”

“ Mow I wonder if you've a copper to spare a tired thirsty old man?"
"We haven't any money," said Freda, in a crestfallen voice, "but we've a beautiful bedroom ready for you, and towels, and soap, and candles, and matches, and the bed will be ready for you if you say you'll come. Daffy and me are looking out for a stranger. It's in the Bible that we're to do it, and so we've got it ready." ”

“ Freda and Daffy's faces were miserable as they stood each side of her.
"It's Michael," explained Freda. "We thought we could go to see him, and even his mother can't."
Dreamikins climbed upon her uncle's knees and clasped him firmly round his neck, then, resting her tear-stained cheek against his, she went on:
"You are the only hope we have, Fibo dear, the only hope! You're grown-up, and we feel you'll help us, won't you? We really must be helped. It will all be no good if we can't get into Michael's prison. ”