Lucy put the beloved pussy into the shed and when she came back she no longer felt proud because she had not spilled things.
“Mother,” she said when the table was cleared, “I think I will put on my pink gingham.”
Mrs. Merrill looked at her.
“Because,” said Lucy, “Dora hasn’t another white dress to wear.”
“That is a good plan,” said Mother, and she smiled at Lucy.
Dora came back, rather wet about the eyelashes. Lucy buttoned the blue dress and Dora settled the Chinese kitten in place. After all, Vega was enchanting against blue.
The stained table-cloth went into the tub with Dora’s dress. There was no time to attend to them. Mother put on another cloth, not so fine nor so pretty, but just as white.
The children set the table again and this time neither was fussy about the way the other did things. Only at intervals Dora’s lip quivered.