"Zem was sticked fast," said Ted. "Zem opens kite easy sometimes."

"Well, don't you touch them any way," said his mother, laughing. But
though Ted said "No," I don't feel sure that he really heard what
his mother was saying. His wits were already off, I don't know where
to--running after Cheviott perhaps, or farther away still, up among the
little clouds that were scudding across the blue sky that he caught
sight of out of the window.

And then his father and Percy set off, and his mother went away about
her housekeeping, sending Ted up to the nursery, and telling him that he
might ask nurse to put his big blouse on, so that he might play about
the garden without risk of soiling his clothes.

Ted felt, for him, a very little sad as he trotted out into the garden.
He had hoped for such a nice merry day with Percy. But low spirits never
troubled him long. Off he set with Cheviott for the race down to the
little bridge, always the first bit of Ted's programme, and careful
Chevie as usual pulled up in plenty of time to avoid any risk of
toppling his master into the brook. Arrived on the bridge, Ted stood
still and "jigged" a little as usual. Then he peered down at the shiny
water with the bright brown pebbles sparkling up through it, and
wondered what it would feel like to be a little fish.

"Little fisses," he said to himself, "always has each other to play
with. They don't go to school, and they hasn't no bidness, nor no cooks
that they must be such a long time ordering the dinners with, nor--nor
beds to make and stockings to mend. I wish nurse would 'tum out this
morning. Ted doesn't like being all alone. Ted would like somebody
littler to play with, 'cos then they wouldn't go to school or out d'ives
with papa."

But just as he was thinking this, he caught sight of some one coming
across the garden, and his ideas took another turn at once.

"David, old David," he cried, "is thoo going to cut the grass? Do let me
come and help thoo, David."

And he ran back across the bridge again and made his way to David as
fast as he could.

"Good morning, Master Ted," said the gardener. "Is it beautiful day,
Master Ted, to be sure. Yes indeed."

"Ses," agreed Ted. "Good morning, old David. I'm going to stay out in
the garden a long time, a tevible long time, 'cos it's such a sprendid
lovely day. What is thoo going to do, David? Can't Ted help thoo?"

"I am going to cut the grass, Master Ted, but I not be very long--no;