“I’ve never raced a turtle,” Vevi said anxiously. “Why don’t you come and show me how?”
Jamie shook his head. “Turtle races are old stuff to me,” he said. “Besides, I’m not going back. Goodbye.”
He moved off again, intending to leave.
“Jamie, it was you, wasn’t it, who fed Clover and Snow White?”
“Sure,” the boy admitted. “You didn’t want ’em to die, did you? I’ll give you a tip. I won’t be here tonight, and it’s too cold outside for your pigeon. Unless you want him to get sick, you’d better take him somewhere that’s warm.”
Then, although Connie and Vevi tried to persuade Jamie to stay, he sauntered off. The girls locked the cottage, hiding the key under the shingle.
“We’ll have to take Snow White and Clover with us,” Vevi decided.
“I’ll carry Snow White’s cage,” Connie said quickly. “You look after Clover.”
Vevi was a little afraid of the turtle, but she drained off all the water in the pan and carried him in that. Clover did not like it very well. He kept clawing at the sides of the container, trying to crawl out.
At Starfish Cottage, Miss Gordon and Mrs. Williams were none too happy to see the pets arrive. However, they said Vevi might keep the pigeon over-night and the turtle until after the Saturday race.