For of course nurse knew that before long, when the baby grew a little bigger, she would come to live in the nursery altogether and go out walks with the others. Just at first nurse would carry her, but after awhile she would go in the new perambulator which nurse had set her heart upon getting.
That reminds me of Mary’s present from her father and mother, which, as I told you, was a doll’s perambulator. It was a great amusement to them all, not only to Mary. You have no idea what a lot of fun you can get out of a doll’s perambulator. It was not only the dolls that went drives in it; the children tried several other things which did not succeed very well. The kitten for one did not like it at all. Leigh caught it one day, when there was no one else to take a drive, for the dolls had all got very bad colds, and Doctor Artie had said that they must on no account go out. Mary looked very grave at this, but of course the doctor’s orders had to be obeyed.
“What shall we do?” she said sadly. “It will be so dull to go out a walk wifout the perambulator,” for till now the dolls had had a drive every day.
“Leave it to me,” said Leigh, “you’ll find some one all ready waiting when you come down to go out.”
And sure enough when nurse and Mary arrived at the door, there was the perambulator, and seated in the doll’s place, or rather tied into it, was a very queer figure indeed—the kitten, as I told you, looking and feeling perfectly miserable.
Leigh had done his best to make it comfortable. He had tied it in with a large soft handkerchief very cleverly, but it was mewing piteously all the same.
“Come along quick, Mary,” he said, “Kitty’s in a great hurry to be off; she doesn’t like being kept waiting, that’s what she’s saying.”
Mary looked as if she was not quite sure if that was what Kitty’s mews really meant, but of course, as Leigh was so much bigger and older, she thought he must know best. So she began pushing the perambulator, very gently at first, for fear of frightening poor pussy, who was so much astonished at feeling herself moving that for a moment or two she left off mewing.
“There now,” said Leigh, “you see how she likes it. Go faster, Mary.”
Mary set off running as fast as she could, which was not very fast, however, for at four years old, one’s legs are still very short, but she did her best, as she wanted to please Leigh and the kitten too. The garden path was smooth and it was a little down hill. Leigh scampered on in front, Mary coming after him rather faster than she meant. Indeed she began to have a queer feeling that her legs were running away with her, when all of a sudden there came a grand upset. Mary found herself on the ground, on the top of the perambulator, and even before she had time to pick herself up her little voice was heard crying out: