‘Little donkeys!’ said Wilfred.
‘If they were, we shouldn’t want Sancho,’ said Val.
It was not a very sublime bit of wit, but there was a great laugh at it all round the table. Val and Fergus declared they would go too, till they heard that Nurse Halfpenny said she would not let the little ones go out without her to tear their clothes to pieces.
Every one unanimously declared that would be no fun at all, and turned to mamma to beg her to forbid nurse to come out and spoil everything.
‘That’s just her view,’ said mamma, laughing; ‘she thinks you spoil everything.’
‘Oh, that’s clothes! Spoiling fun is worse.’
‘But were you really going with the old Halfpenny, Gill?’ said Mysie, turning to her.
‘Yes,’ said Gillian. ‘You know I can manage her pretty well when it is only the little ones and they wouldn’t have any pleasure otherwise.’
‘Oh come, Gill,’ intreated Fergus, ‘or nurse will make us sit in the donkey-cart all the time while Lois picks the blackberries!’
‘Mamma, do tell her not to come,’ intreated Valetta, and more of them joined in with her.