She warns the dancing children of the coming of the day,
For a very careful Mother is Mrs. Rumdidoodledum.”
Then the children looked out of the window and, sure enough, Lady Rumdidoodledum was just appearing, big and bright, above the pine trees.
“Flip,” coaxed Martha Mary, “don’t you think you could tell us just a bit of how Winfred got home?”
“To-morrow night,” said Flip, and so everyone said good night and went to bed.
CHAPTER XIV
IN WHICH WINFRED IS GIVEN THE MOST WONDERFUL
WISH IN THE WORLD, AND I ADVISE YOU
ALL TO READ IT AND LEARN WHAT IT IS, SO
THAT IF, SOME DAY WHEN YOU ARE LEAST EXPECTING
IT, A FAIRY COMES AND OFFERS YOU
A WISH, YOU WILL KNOW FOR WHAT TO ASK
The following day came a surprise for the children. While they were at their lessons Mother Dear constantly looked at her watch and then gazed out of the window. Martha Mary was sure something was going to happen, but she could not for a moment imagine what it was to be. Finally Mother Dear could keep the secret no longer.
“Babes,” she said, “you may all put away your books, and then I have something to tell you.”
“Is it nice?” asked Edward Lee.