"I wish I was dead!" he said.
"So do I, often," said Dreamikins cheerfully; "but Er says God doesn't want us just yet. I s'pose we have a good deal to do for Him when we get old. But Freda and Daffy and me are getting on. We've done an awful lot of things lately."
Then she cuddled against him, and put up one of her soft little hands and stroked his cheek.
"Poor boy! I really are sorry for you. It was a big mistake, wasn't it? And what I'm so sorry for is, we shall never see those beautiful fireworks! But never mind, dear, you tolded the truth, didn't you? Fibo said he could forgive anyfing in a boy who tolded the truth. Do you know, I've been thinking that Er left me, and went along to help you. God's angels are always busy in danger time, and a fire is danger time, isn't it? He helped you all to get downstairs quick before the fire caught you. I was scolding him a little, because he didn't wake me when it all happened. But that's where he was, so he couldn't wake me."
DREAMIKINS FOUND EDMUND SITTING LOOKING AS MISERABLE
AS ANY LITTLE BOY COULD LOOK.
"I don't care anything about angels," said Edmund; "but Mums will think it awful to burn Aunt Helen's house. I don't want to see her."
"I'll stand by you," said Dreamikins sturdily. "When she comes, I'll keep close to you. I won't let her scold you."
Edmund felt sure that a boy ought not to look to a girl to shield him in such a crisis. But his good opinion of himself had vanished; he felt very small, and very frightened. And when he heard the carriage arrive, and the bustle in the house, and when Freda came running out into the garden calling, "Edmund, Edmund, where are you? Aunt Frances and Mums are here, and they want you," he rose to his feet and walked into the house, holding Dreamikins by the hand, and feeling as if he would like the earth to swallow him up. They were all in Fibo's study. Mrs. Harrington looked very sternly at her small nephew; his mother did not hold out her hands to him as she usually did. It was Dreamikins who spoke first.
"We've comed in as quick as we could. Edmund wishes he was dead. But I'm sure God doesn't want him just yet, and we all feel very sorry about the house, and very, very sorry that the fireworks is wasted, and you won't be angry with Edmund; he didn't mean to do it. That old Nurse wanted a frightening, she had been so unkind to him. He only meant just to frighten her!"