“Now, listen,” said Mother; “it's quite true that we're poor, but we have enough to live on. You mustn't go telling everyone about our affairs—it's not right. And you must never, never, never ask strangers to give you things. Now always remember that—won't you?”
They all hugged her and rubbed their damp cheeks against hers and promised that they would.
“And I'll write a letter to your old gentleman, and I shall tell him that I didn't approve—oh, of course I shall thank him, too, for his kindness. It's YOU I don't approve of, my darlings, not the old gentleman. He was as kind as ever he could be. And you can give the letter to the Station Master to give him—and we won't say any more about it.”
Afterwards, when the children were alone, Bobbie said:—
“Isn't Mother splendid? You catch any other grown-up saying they were sorry they had been angry.”
“Yes,” said Peter, “she IS splendid; but it's rather awful when she's angry.”
“She's like Avenging and Bright in the song,” said Phyllis. “I should like to look at her if it wasn't so awful. She looks so beautiful when she's really downright furious.”
They took the letter down to the Station Master.
“I thought you said you hadn't got any friends except in London,” said he.
“We've made him since,” said Peter.