"He's the round rogue; I'm going to be the Princess walking through the wood, and he'll rob me, and then you, Freda, will come and ride away with me, and Daffy will be the old woman who takes us in."
The game started. Edmund proved a very dashing rogue and robber—so much so that Dreamikins spoilt the game by suddenly turning against her knight and defender, and fleeing after the robber.
"I likes you best; I'll turn into a rogue and robber, and we'll drag the others by their hair into our cave!"
The game prolonged itself till tea-time, and then they were called indoors. Dreamikins sat up at the tea-table as good as gold. Nurse looked approvingly at her.
"Your governess is improving you," she said.
Dreamikins shook her head.
"Oh dear no! It's Er. Er is making me so good that I forget how to be naughty."
"Who's Er?" demanded Edmund. "Do you mean her? Can't you sound your h's?"
"I mean Er," said Dreamikins; "and he isn't her, he couldn't be. He's a very nice angel with black curls and black eyes, and he's sitting on my chair with me now!"
"Angels don't sit on chairs. Why should they?"