Susie was hastily rubbing the sand out of her toes and hunting for her stockings. Her feet were very cold, and her fingers seemed thumbs. She did not answer Dot. She did not feel quite sure what to say; things always looked so different before and after, and what nurse had said about a wearing time stuck in her mind.
"Well, aren't you?" said Dot impatiently.
"No," said Susie bluntly.
She stopped to lace Tom's boots, and then looked up with a face that had grown suddenly red.
"I can't help it," she said desperately, "but I never am glad afterwards."
She went on lacing laboriously, whilst Tom lay on his face kicking and plunging about. Dot looked at her curiously.
"But you wanted to come on the rocks?" she said.
"Oh yes," said Susie. "I shall always want to come, but I shall be sorry afterwards. I think I ought to warn you because I am like that. I can't help it. It is silly of nurse," she went on, as she tied the lace in a draggled knot. "Why shouldn't we play with you? I feel perfectly certain—" She seemed to remember using those words before on an unfortunate occasion, so she hastily changed them. "I am quite sure that you are a very good companion. Me and Tom couldn't learn any harm from you."
She was persuading herself, not the twins, but it was a twin who answered.
"We can have lots of fun," said Dot, "and no one will know. The first chance we will cut over the rocks to the town and buy some sweets."