"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!"
Dreamikins was able to make her visit. Annette accompanied her to the door, and then was asked inside by the milkman's wife, a cheerful young woman whose name was Mrs. Ford. She took Dreamikins up a narrow little staircase into a very clean, bright bedroom, where an old man lay in bed close to the window.
"Here's a little lady to see you, feyther. I'll sit her on this chair, and then she can talk pretty to you. Jim, he goes to their house with milk. 'Tis the Captain's little niece."
Dreamikins sat upon the chair pulled forward for her with great dignity, and Mrs. Ford clattered downstairs. She wanted a little gossip with Annette.
"Do you like me coming to see you?" Dreamikins began.
Old John Ford nodded his head. "Ay, little missy; talk a bit to me. 'Tis cruel lonesome lyin' here."
If there was one thing that Dreamikins could do well, it was talking. She began at once. She told him about herself and her parents and her pets and Fibo and all her guardian angels; she told him about her broken leg and how she broke it, and about Freda and Daffy and Miss Fletcher; about her pony, Shylock, and about Michael in prison, and about everybody else that she had ever seen or heard of. And at last she stopped quite breathless, and then began to question him.
How many children had he? Did he like rice pudding? Did he wear curls when he was a boy? When did he come to bed? Could he tell a story? Had he ever seen a fairy? Did he think goats very wicked animals? Had he been a milkman? Had his son any little baby cows? Would he like to eat a bun?
And after this last question Dreamikins produced a bun in a crushed paper bag, which she had been holding tight in her hand, and which bag was very hot and sticky in consequence.
Old John declared he would like nothing better, and whilst he was eating it Dreamikins made a tour round the room, looking at and admiring everything. A picture of the battle of Waterloo attracted her attention.