I should
hope we could be that without sand-fairies to help us. No; it must be
something splendid, that we couldn't possibly get without wishing for."

"Look out," said Anthea in a warning voice; "don't forget yesterday.
Remember, we get our wishes now just wherever we happen to be when we
say 'I wish.' Don't let's let ourselves in for anything silly--to-day of
all days."

"All right," said Cyril. "You needn't talk so much."

Just then Martha came in with a jug full of hot water for the
tea-pot--and a face full of importance for the children.

"A blessing we're all alive to eat our breakfast!" she said darkly.

"Why, whatever's happened?" everybody asked.

"Oh, nothing," said Martha, "only it seems nobody's safe from being
murdered in their beds nowadays."

"Why," said Jane as an agreeable thrill of horror ran down her back and
legs and out at her toes, "_has_ anyone been murdered in their beds?"

"Well--not exactly," said Martha; "but they might just as well. There's
been burglars over at Peasemarsh Place--Beale's just told me--and
they've took every single one of Lady Chittenden's diamonds and jewels
and things, and she's a-goin out of one fainting fit into another, with
hardly time to say 'Oh, my diamonds!' in between. And Lord Chittenden's
away in London."

"Lady Chittenden," said Anthea; "we've seen her. She wears a
red-and-white dress, and she has no children of her own and can't abide
other folkses'."

"That's her," said Martha. "Well, she's put all her trust in riches, and
you see how she's served. They say the diamonds and things was worth
thousands of pounds. There was a necklace and a river--whatever that
is--and no end of bracelets; and a tarrer and ever so many rings. But
there, I mustn't stand talking and all the place to clean down afore
your ma comes home."

"I don't see why she should ever have had such lots of diamonds," said
Anthea when Martha had flounced off. "She was not at all a nice lady, I
thought. And mother hasn't any diamonds, and hardly any jewels--the
topaz necklace, and the sapphire ring daddy gave her when they were
engaged, and the garnet star, and the little pearl brooch with
great-grandpapa's hair in it,--that's about all."

"When I'm grown up I'll buy mother no end of diamonds," said Robert, "if
she wants them. I shall make so much money exploring in Africa I shan't
know what to do with it."

"Wouldn't it be jolly," said Jane dreamily, "if mother could find all
these