The children had played all through the long afternoon, and the room was
turned topsy-turvy.
Toys were strewn all over the floor; furniture was pulled out of place;
and the legs of the chairs were entangled with a long kite-tail that
they had begun to make.
Presently Raymond said with a start, "Didn't you hear mother say, 'Put
the room tidy'?"
"No," answered Ralph; "nobody spoke; it was only because you saw what a
state the room was in that you thought you heard her; and it _is_ very
untidy; we had better put it straight."
"Yes, let us put it straight," said Raymond, "for I know I did hear
mother tell us to."
So the two set to work and sorted the toys, and put them away in the
cupboard; then they began to try to disentangle the twine of the
kite-tail that was twisted round the chairs.
"Oh, dear! this is tiresome!" cried Raymond, as he bent his sunny head
over the task.
"It does hurt my fingers!" said Ralph, knitting his dark brows.
Presently Raymond looked up with a beaming face.
"I know mother is looking at us all the time," he said; "I can feel she
is smiling!"
Ralph looked round the room. "She is not here," he answered, "it is only
the sunlight through the window."
"I know I can't see her," said Raymond again, "but I can feel she is
smiling."
Then they were silent, and went on with their work.
* * * * *
"It is bedtime, little boys," said mother, coming in.
"But we have not finished," they cried together.
"Mother and nurse will do the rest," said mother. "You've both done very
well."
"Mother, weren't you watching us all the time?" asked Raymond eagerly.
"Yes," she answered, smiling; "I was in the garden, and could see
through the window my two little sons; Raymond was quick to obey when he
heard my voice, and Ralph did what he knew I should wish, though he did
not know I was able to see him."
And Mother put her arms round the children, and the sunny head and the
dark head nestled softly on her bosom, and the eyelids drooped, for the
day had been long and the sun had gone down.
"But I wish I had known you were there," murmured Ralph.
[Illustration: "NURSERY TENNIS."]
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