believe anybody does," said Floss,
going on again with her lesson. "Be quiet, Carrots, for one minute, and
then I'll talk to you."

Carrots sat silent for about a minute and a half; then he began again.

"Floss," he said.

"Well," replied Floss, "I've very nearly done, Carrots."

"It's werry dull to-day, Floss; the sea looks dull too, it isn't dancey
a bit to-day, and the sands look as if they would _never_ be nice for
running on again."

"Oh, but they will, Master Carrots," said nurse, who was sitting near,
busy darning stockings. "Dear, dear! don't I remember feeling just so
when I was a child? In winter thinking summer would never come, and in
summer forgetting all about winter!"

"Is it a werry long time since you were a child?" inquired Carrots,
directing his attention to nurse.

"It's getting on for a good long time, my dear," said nurse, with a
smile.

"Please tell me about it," said Carrots.

"Oh yes, nursie dear, do," said Floss, jumping up from the floor and
shutting her book. "I've done all my lessons, and it would just be nice
to have a story. It would amuse poor little Carrots."

"But you know all my stories as well, or even better, than I do myself,"
objected nurse, "not that they were ever much to tell, any of them."

"Oh yes, they were. They are very nice stories indeed," said Floss,
encouragingly. "And I'm very fond of what you call your mother's
stories, too--aren't you, Carrots?--about the children she was nurse
to--Master Hugh and Miss Janet. Tell us more about them, nursie."

"You've heard all the stories about them, my dears, I'm afraid," said
nurse. "At least, I can't just now think of any worth telling but what
you've heard."

"Well, let's hear some not worth the telling," said Floss, persistently.
"Nurse," she went on, "how old must Master Hugh and Miss Janet be by
now? Do you know where they are?"

"Master Hugh is dead," said nurse, "many a year ago, poor fellow, and
little Miss Janet--why she was fifteen years older than I; mother only
left them to be married when Miss Janet was past twelve. She must be
quite an old lady by now, if she is alive--with grandchildren as old as
you, perhaps! How strange it seems!"

"She must have been a very nice little girl, and so must Master Hugh
have been--a nice little boy, I mean. That story of 'Mary Ann Jolly' was
_so_ interesting. I suppose they _never_ did anything naughty?" said
Floss, insinuatingly.

"Oh, but they did," replied nur