With these pretty enough, and more than comical enough creatures, Poppie was exquisitely delighted. She laughed and clapped her hands and shouted:
"Now, now! Do it again. There you are! Heels over head. All right, little one! Round you go. Now, now! There you are!" and so on.
Mattie turned away, saying only to Lucy:
"They don't make anything of it. They're no farther on at night than they were in the morning. I hate roundabouts. Poor little things!"
They came to the camel's house, and, with other children, they got upon his back. After a short and not over comfortable ride, they got down again. Poppie took hold of Lucy's sleeve, and, with solemn face, asked:
"Is it alive, miss?"
"How can you ask such a question, Poppie?"
"I only wanted to know if it was alive."
She was not sure that he did not go by machinery. Mattie gazed at her with compassionate superiority, and said:
"Poppie, I should like to hear what you tell Mr. Spelt when you get home. You are ignorant."