At last, tired out, their spirits began to flag, and after having exhausted all their stock of games they flung themselves down on the ground to rest.
'I'll tell you a story,' said Betty suddenly.
'All right, go on!'
Betty sat up in a corner, and rested her back against the wall. She clasped her small hands in front of her, and gazing dreamily up at an old beam across the room, on which hung many a cobweb, she began,—
'It was a beautiful day in heaven——'
'It's always a beautiful day there,' put in Douglas critically.
'I never said it wasn't. You're not to interrupt me. It was a beautiful day, the harps were playing and the angels singing, and one angel looked as if she wanted something. So God asked her what was the matter.
'"Oh, please," she said, "I want to go down to earth to-day."
'"What do you want to do there, O angel?"
'"I want to play and sing to some children there."